Iga Swiatek told that her ‘fighting spirit’ and ‘positive attitude’ are missing
Iga Swiatek has been told that she “lacks that positive attitude” that helped her to win Grand Slams and become world No 1 with her Billie Jean King Cup captain suggesting she accepts “it all too quickly” when things are not going her way.
The six-time major winner’s Wimbledon title defence came to a disappointing end in the third round as she slumped to a 7-6 (11-9), 6-2 defeat at the hands of rising Philippines star Alex Eala.
Swiatek has not reached a final in 2026, let alone win a trophy, with her best run coming at the Italian Open where she made it to the semi-final. Her last title was in September when she won the Korea Open.
Her recent performances have raised alarm bells with Dawid Celt, who knows Swiatek well as he has worked with Poland’s Billie Jean King Cup team since 2018, says she lacks the fighting spirit.
WTA News
Agnieszka Radwanska reveals what ‘worried’ her about Iga Swiatek’s Wimbledon exit
WTA Rankings: Points Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Raducanu, Eala will drop during North American swing
“I think Iga is starting to accept what’s going on around her a little too much,” he said on the Break Point YouTube channel. “That fighting spirit, that attitude, is missing.
“She forgets that she’s Iga Swiatek. Even though she’s going through a rough patch, a rough time, she’s a girl who’s achieved practically everything in tennis – an Olympic medal, Grand Slam titles, she was number one. (…) Iga accepts it all too quickly.
“She lacks that positive attitude to go out and show: ‘Okay, I’m going through a rough patch, but that doesn’t mean anything. I’m rebuilding here, I want to, I’m trying.’ That’s what I’m missing.”
Swiatek has dropped to No 8 in the WTA Rankings and she has 1,550 points to defend during the upcoming North American swing as she won the Cincinnati Open last year.
But there is an even bigger concern as she has slipped to No 12 in the WTA Rankings Race to Indian Wells and is in danger of failing to qualify for the first time since she made her debut in 2021.
Former Polish tennis player Marcin Matkowski agreed with Celt as he believes Swiatek looks like someone who is a “contender” and not a champion.
“It’s not that she doesn’t exude enough confidence, because a tennis player can always have better or worse moments, but there’s simply not enough visibility of what a great tennis player she is, what a star she is, what she’s achieved,” he stated.
“It’s like she’s been looking like a ‘contender’ lately, meaning she’s trying to achieve something, when it should be the other way around. Her opponent should be nervous, not Iga.”
What about the 25-year-old’s chance of winning the US Open or other big events?
“Iga is capable of winning bigger tournaments, but for us to truly believe it, she has to do it,” Matkowski added. “It’s hard to say she’s a favourite to win Slams when, apart from winning Wimbledon last year, she hasn’t won much.
“…The WTA Race rankings are a reflection of where Iga is. Saying she’ll win Slams doesn’t make sense to me right now. She’s capable of it, but there’s still a long way to go. I certainly wouldn’t put her in the top three players right now.”
