Miami Open: Iga Swiatek’s ‘worst nightmare’ as star stunned in historic loss

Oli Dickson Jefford 20 Mar 2026 9:00 AM

Pictured: Iga Swiatek reacts during a match.

WTA Tour player Iga Swiatek reacts during a match.

Iga Swiatek admits she has grown “confused” about some elements of her game following a historic loss to Magda Linette at the Miami Open.

In an all-Polish battle at the WTA 1000 event, world No 3 Swiatek saw her game fall away as she slumped to a stunning 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 loss to world No 50 Linette in Miami.

It is the second straight year that Linette has beaten a world No 3 at the Miami Open, following a victory over Coco Gauff at this tournament twelve months ago.

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However, this result is arguably more shocking and significant, with Swiatek close to unbeatable in the early stages of events in recent years.

The 24-year-old had won her opening match in her last 73 tournaments, with this shock defeat being her first opening-match loss at any event since the 2021 WTA Finals.

Defeat also continues a concerning pattern for the Pole, who has suffered a string of defeats ever since the 2025 Asian swing.

Swiatek came into the Miami Open off the back of consecutive quarter-final exits at WTA 1000 events, losing in surprise results to Maria Sakkari in Doha and Elina Svitolina in Indian Wells.

Having been in such a commanding position against Linette, Swiatek somewhat crumbled in this streak-ending defeat and admitted after the match that she was struggling to find solutions.

“I feel like I carry a lot of expectations when I’m on the court, and I need to get rid of them because my game has not been good enough to have any expectations,” said Swiatek.

“I’m a bit confused, but I’ll just work hard to get it back. I know I have it in me, I just lost it for a second.”

She added: “This is the worst nightmare a top tennis player can have. Dropping in matches in level like this. I need to live through this and figure it out.

“I’ve always been an over-thinker, but lately it’s just been so intense. It’s hard for me to get rid of many thoughts I have, and this used to be my strength.

“I honestly played my best when I didn’t think much. Now I make so many bad decisions that it’s hard not to think. The stress comes in, the body gets so tense, and things get much harder.”

Concern will undoubtedly grow for Swiatek, who will now look to rebuild ahead of the clay-court swing.

The Pole is currently set to return to action at the WTA 500 Stuttgart Open in early April, where she previously lifted the title back in 2022 and 2023.

Swiatek will then likely target the WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome before the second Grand Slam event of 2026 at the French Open, where she is a four-time champion.

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