Iga Swiatek splits with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski

World No.1 Iga Swiatek has announced the end of her three-year coaching partnership with Tomasz Wiktorowski. Swiatek announced the news on Instagram on Friday.

"After 3 years of the greatest achievements in my career, together with my coach Tomasz Wiktorowski we decided to part way," Swiatek wrote. "I want to start with a big thank you and appreciating our work together."

Swiatek hired Wiktorowski, the long-time coach of former World No.2 at the end of the 2021 season. Under Wiktorowski's tutelage, Swiatek went on to capture four of her five Grand Slams, ascend to World No.1, and engineer the longest win streak of the 2000s, reeling off 37 consecutive wins in 2022. Together, they captured 19 of her 22 career titles and an Olympic silver medal this past summer.

Last year, Wiktorowski was voted the WTA's Coach of the Year by his peers.

"Coach Wiktorowski joined my team for three seasons, when I strongly needed changes and a fresh approach to my game," Swiatek wrote. "His experience, analytical and strategic attitude and enormous knowledge about tennis helped us to achieve things I've never dreamed of only a few months after we started working together.

"Our main goal was to become No.1 player in the world and coach Wiktorowski was the one who said it first. We aimed very high, we headed to every tournament with a clear goal to win it. Together with coach Wiktorowski we won many tournaments and 4 Grand Slams."

Swiatek withdrew from this week's China Open, where was a defending champion, and next week's Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open. This year, she has won four WTA 1000 titles this year at Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid and Rome, as well as her fifth major title at Roland Garros. She has qualified for her fourth consecutive WTA Finals in Riyadh, which will be played in November.

She confirmed in her post that she is in the midst of the process of hiring a new coach.

"Due to this important change on my team, I give myself a couple of weeks to start a cooperation with a new coach," she wrote. "I'm in the middle of first talks with coaches from abroad (non-Polish) because I'm ready to take the next step of my career. I will let you know when I make a decision."

According to Swiatek's post, the decision to end her work with Wiktorowski was mutual and amicable.

"Coach, THANK YOU, I wish you all the best," Swiatek wrote. "I know that you would like to rest after these 3 years of hard work and traveling a lot and spending some well deserved time with your loved ones and I hope you'll get what you need."

wtatennis.com

This was quite surprise to fans and tennis personalities alike. I think for many the most surprising is the timing. 

On the one hand it would seem to make more sense to stay with the same coach till the end of the year and start fresh in 2025. 

On the other hand on the constant hamster wheel that is the tennis tour there is no good time for something like this. 

End of the season does give her more time to find someone and see how they gel in the off season before working on tour together. The spit certainly seemed mutual. 

As she states seems like her coach has had enough of the tour life and Iga herself is searching for some new energy and a new voice. 

Being very ambitious she's always working on improving her game and I guess on some level she felt like with Thomas she has gone as far as she could.

Seems like Iga realized that if she wants to do better at places like Wimbledon or Australia she has to be willing to make some big changes.

He helped her fulfill everything he promised chief among them being world #1 and then some. What they have done together is nothing short of extraordinary  19 titles in all (4 of them Slams). 

Wiktorowski really helped to unlock Iga's potential so as a fan I'll always be grateful for that. Having Iga at the top of the sport has made it better.

She'll now be working with a non-Polish coach (something she mentioned she might be ready for in 2 or 3 years). So in that sense she's definitely sticking to that timeline. Which will be fascinating.   

There's a lot of online speculation about who that person might be. Top 2 at the moment seem to be former coach of Osaka and Kerber, Whim Fisette. As well as Justine Henin's coach Carlos Rodriguez. 

All very intriguing choices. I guess the question will be how receptive the rest of the Iga team will be to allowing someone new to take the lead and bring in some changes.

It's understandable that Iga has chosen to withdraw from some tournaments to deal with it all (also mentioned being tired having played so many tournaments again this year). 

Selfishly I was hoping she she would play Wuhan because 2 months without Iga is just too long. And in my very biased opinion the tour is a bit boring without her in the mix.

Plus it also means the WTA Finals will be a real battle for world #1 again. A spot which Sabalenka could once again take if she were to reach the quarter finals of Wuhan. Muchova stopped her in Bejing but she's always had more success in Wuhan.

Iga Swiatek moves to 7th place on all time world #1 list at 122 weeks

Sometimes it's hard to believe this image is from 2022 & 2 years later Iga is still #1

World No.1 Iga Swiatek will spend her 122nd week at World No.1 on the PIF WTA Rankings this week, moving past Ashleigh Barty to sit at No.7 on the all-time list.

Only six players have tallied more weeks as World No.1 than Swiatek:

Cumulative weeks at World No.1:

1. Stefanie Graf: 377 weeks
2. Martina Navratilova: 332 weeks
3. Serena Williams: 319 weeks
4. Chris Evert: 260 weeks
5. Martina Hingis: 209 weeks
6. Monica Seles: 178 weeks
7. Iga Swiatek: 122 weeks

Barty first ascended to No.1 in June of 2019 after winning back-to-back tournaments at the French Open and Birmingham. The Australian held the top ranking for seven weeks before being overtaken by Naomi Osaka for four weeks. Barty retook the top ranking after the 2019 US Open and held it for 114 consecutive weeks until her retirement in April 2022.

Barty's retirement made way for then-No.2 Swiatek, 19, to ascend to the top spot and make history as Poland's first World No.1. She responded with a remarkable 2022 campaign, which saw her win 37 consecutive matches -- the longest streak of the 21st century -- from Doha until Wimbledon and finishing as year-end No.1.

Swiatek held the top ranking for 75 consecutive weeks before relinquishing it to Aryna Sabalenka after the 2023 US Open. Swiatek's 75-week streak is the third longest in tour history for a first-time No.1, behind only Stefanie Graf (186) and Martina Hingis (80).

Last year, Swiatek mounted a furious challenge to retake the World No.1 and finish as year-end No.1 for the second straight season. She won her last 11 matches of the season, taking 22 of 23 sets to sweep titles at the China Open and WTA Finals. With the year-end No.1 ranking on the line in the final two matches of the year, she defeated Sabalenka in the WTA Finals semifinals and then locked up No.1 by beating Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-0 in the championship match.


Swiatek has held the No.1 ranking ever since, extending her active streak to 47 consecutive weeks.

More outstanding numbers behind Swiatek's rise and reign at No.1:


Since 2000, Swiatek (26) is one of only three players to claim 25 or more Top 10 wins while holding the No.1 ranking, along with Serena Williams (62) and Justine Henin (28).


Among the 10 players to hold the No.1 ranking over the past 10 years, Swiatek (156) has recorded the most tour-level match wins, eclipsing Serena Williams' 143 wins.


With 21 consecutive wins between Madrid and Wimbledon this year, Swiatek became the first player to win more than 20 straight matches as World No.1 since Serena Williams (26, 2014-15).Since the start of the 2020 season, Swiatek (42) has recorded the most Top 10 wins of any player. She is one of only two players with 25 or more, along with Aryna Sabalenka.


Among the 34 players with more than 20 matches vs. Top 10 opponents since 2020, Swiatek (72.4%, 42-16) is the only player to hold a winning percentage above 50%.

wtatennis.com

Defending Champion Iga Swiatek withdraws from Bejing

World No.1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the upcoming China Open in Beijing, citing personal reasons, she and the tournament announced on Friday.

"Due to personal matters, I’m forced to withdraw from the China Open in Beijing. I’m very sorry as I had an amazing time playing and winning this tournament last year and was really looking forward to being back there.

"I know that the fans will experience great tennis there and I’m sorry I won’t be a part of it this time."

The China Open begins on Sept. 25. Last year, Swiatek lost just one set in Beijing en route to winning her sixth career WTA 1000 title in her tournament debut. After ending 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff's 16-match winning streak in the semifinals, Swiatek defeated Liudmila Samsonova in the final.

This year, Swiatek has won four of the previous eight WTA 1000 events played but last competed in New York. She also withdrew from this week's Hana Bank Korea Open in Seoul citing fatigue.

While Swiatek, World No.9 Maria Sakkari (continuing shoulder injury) and World No.10 Danielle Collins (illness) have withdrawn from the main-draw field, the rest of the Top 10 in the PIF WTA Rankings are all expected to compete. In addition, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from qualifying with a knee injury.

Reigning Australian Open and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will be the top seed in Beijing, a tournament at which she has reached the quarterfinals twice in three career appearances, and US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula is expected to be seeded No.2.

wtatennis.com

I hope everything is ok whatever the reason, hope Iga takes all the time she needs. Though for me the tournament won't be the same without her. 

Thoughts on Iga Swiatek's U.S. Open 2024

Ever since Iga's loss in the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open there has been a lot of talk on social media regarding improving her tennis starting with changing her team members. Which seems to be the case literally every time she loses early in a Slam. 

People really don't seem to get that a good team takes years to put together and trust not to mention have any meaningful results with. 

Sure sometimes a new voice or perspective is helpful, but the reality of this sport (any sport really) is that you win more than you lose no matter who is part of your team. 

It is impossible to win every tournament no matter how good of an athlete you are, at the end of the day athletes are still human. And they have periods of doubt, mental and physical fatigue.

I think a  lot of people, maybe even Iga herself underestimated how big of a part the Olympics played in the exhaustion for her this year. 

Representing Poland at the Olympics  meant everything to her and the emotions of not winning gold, but coming back to win the bronze must have felt so exhilarating and depleting all at once.

And I think on some level it all contributed to this poor performance in the quarters. It was probably her worst performance all year (and considering she's played over 50 matches) is extraordinary, but sadly under appreciated by many. 

She won 5 titles in the first half of the season (all of them WTA 1000) which are equally as difficult if not more so than a Slam, and yet they don't seem to count because only one of them was a Slam. I don't understand the mentality this sport has regarding the 4 big events.

Tour accomplishments should get the same level of recognition and yet the governing bodies put less significance to them throughout the year and only seem to remember them as part of summation at the end of each season. Or they only get a mention if you win more than 1 slam in a given year. And it's so weird to me. 

While they're important and get the most attention they alone would not be enough to sustain a player in a season (financially and motivation-wise). It's the tour events that showcase how great someone is at managing themselves throughout the year.  

Granted the tour tournaments come with it's on pitfalls which include poor organization in terms of the amount the players are required to play which in the last few years have greatly increased along with the tournaments length.

All of that combined makes it extremely difficult for any player these days to be able to work on their game while constantly on tour. 

Unless they choose to take an extended break either voluntarily or due to injury (as was the case for Sabalenka and Pegula this year). Both of whom reached the U.S. Open final. 

Sabalenka skipped the Olympics and Wimbledon due to injury and I believe it is the sole reason she won. She had plenty of time to rest and properly prepare.

Iga was asked this question in the post match presser and said she has no plans to do the same. I can see both sides of this argument, and the advantages and disadvantages that come with. 

On the one hand it'd allow her to work on things at own pace, but on the other she might be a person for whom an extended break makes it harder to get back into the rhythm and stay motivated (not the mention all the external factors of sponsors, endorsements and being world #1).

Sure she has under performed in Slams as a whole, something her and her team will undoubtedly work hard on to improve. But it is not something that will happen overnight as some people out there seem to think. It's a process that takes time.

As a fan I'm also getting very tired of comments regarding a players ability to dominate on one surface, clay in Iga's case (hard court in Aryna's).

I see nothing wrong with it. Plenty of players have made a whole career out of one particular time of year (Nadal being the prime example). 

Of course in Iga's case the argument is that as the world #1 she should be more adapt on all surfaces on tour. 

Which is valid. 

But there's also the fact that Iga is only 23, even the greatest champions of this sport didn't figure out the different surfaces over night. It took them years, in some cases quite a few. 

Some never did.

But I firmly believe that with her skill, patience and hard work Iga will get there as well. 

It's premature to write off someone's whole career based off of one season's result (a season which isn't even over yet I might add). 

But sadly it seems to be something a lot of people are doing in regards to Iga after this U.S. Open especially and it's quite disparaging for someone of her talent. 

My hope for the rest of this season and beyond is that Iga gets some time to properly relax and recharge before getting back to training and whatever else she needs in order to continue to enjoy being a part of this sport. 

Because the sport is truly better with her in it.

Iga Swiatek back in the quarterfinals of U.S. Open

 

WHAT HAPPENED: While the rest of the women’s field is busy making headlines and stealing the spotlight at the 2024 US Open, top seed and former champion Iga Swiatek is quietly making her way through the draw.

In her milestone 100th Grand Slam singles match Monday night, Swiatek celebrated with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Liudmila Samsonova to move into the quarterfinals and bring her record at the majors to 83-17.

The world No. 1 has not yet dropped a set through four rounds, and her high level of play showed no signs of weakness against the 6-foot-tall Samsonova.

The No. 16 seed’s big game kept her toe-to-toe with Swiatek through much of the first set, giving fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium a peek into why she has been to this stage of a major twice before. But once Swiatek got a look at triple set point on Samsonova’s serve in the 10th game, she ran away with the opportunity and closed out the one-set lead.

“At the beginning I felt like we were playing men's style tennis, holding serve every game,” Swiatek said post-match. “But I knew if I kept pushing I would have chances to break her serve. In the second I just wanted to keep being focused and not let my mind drift off.”

By the start of the second set, Swiatek had settled into her service game and took a firm grip on the match, winning 13 of 14 first-serve points and 56 percent of return points. Two breaks of serve were all the Pole needed to shut down Samsonova’s game and seal the victory in the second after racing out to a 5-0 lead.

WHAT IT MEANS: The top seed’s win ensures she still has a chance to add to her WTA-leading season. Swiatek leads the WTA Tour with 57 match wins on the year after taking five titles, including her fourth Roland Garros crown, and an Olympic bronze medal.

Swiatek’s next opponent in New York is a familiar one, as she will square off against No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula in their third quarterfinal meeting at a Grand Slam. Previously, Swiatek defeated the American at this same stage en route to her 2022 Roland Garros and US Open titles. As they enter their 10th career meeting, the Pole owns a 6-3 advantage.

Wednesday’s match will be the pair's first meeting this year, and with the American playing some of her best tennis, Swiatek knows that she will need to keep her legs fresh and ready for what is sure to be a physical match.

"Jess is never easy to play," said the top seed. "She has a tricky game style so I have to be ready for longer rallies. She's a great player, so for sure it’s going to be a challenge."

MATCH POINT: Swiatek did not face a single break point in the match, and has only lost two of four break points the entire tournament.

usopen.org

That first round of this U.S. Open is starting to look and feel like an anomaly. 

She has dramatically improved her game (her backhand in particular) in the last few matches and gone back to relying on her strength which is her speed, defense and return all of which she is doing in a more controlled manner (I'm honestly getting shades of 2022). 

And it's making me so happy. You can actually see she's enjoying herself out there despite being tired (it being another long season and all).

It's like she's found that level she usually only finds on her favourite surface and the one she found at the end of the season last year starting in Bejing.  And it's an absolute joy to witness again. 

Pegula will certainly be her biggest test yet (I thought Samsonova would be but she was only able to bring it for parts of set 1). 

Given the form Pegula is in winning in Canada she certainly  won't be short on confidence. 

The question remains though whether she will feel some nerves trying to reach her first ever Grand Slam semi something she has never done before and has a bit of a hang up on.

But I know Iga won't be counting on that she'll play her game to the best of her ability. I know she'll leave it all out on the court on Wednesday and I can't wait!.

Jazda Iga, like your fave tv show character Ted Lasso we believe :)                                  

For the first time in her career, Iga Świątek has gone three consecutive matches without getting broken. And not only that, but did it without facing a single break point across the 2R, 3R, and 4R (25 games).


12 - Defeating Liudmila Samsonova, Iga Swiatek is one of only four players in the past four decades to achieve 12 straight Grand Slam match wins over WTA top 20 opponents along with Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Serena Williams. Eminent.


83 - Among those to begin their career in the Open Era, only six have more wins from their first 100 GS matches than Iga Swiatek (83): Monica Seles, 93 Chris Evert, 90 Steffi Graf, 87 Martina Hingis & S. Williams, 86 V. Williams, 85 Company.

Iga Swiatek makes it 4 consecutive 2nd week's at U.S. Open

NEW YORK -- World No.1 Iga Swiatek eased past 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with a 6-4, 6-2 victory to book her spot in a fourth straight US Open Round of 16 on Saturday night.

And the 2022 US Open champion did it in style.

After earning an early break to lead 3-1 in the opening set, Swiatek struck her own version of the wicked backspinning winner that has been the signature hot shot of the opening week of the tournament. In response to a big first serve down the tee from Pavlyuchenkova, Swiatek lunged for a forehand squash return that floated in the air before handing just over the net.

Pavlyuchenkova's casual jog towards what looked like an easy put-away was quickly derailed by the spin on the ball, which took it right back over the net and out of her reach for a clean winner. Swiatek put her hands up to apologize for her stroke of luck and Pavlyuchenkova could only drop her head and tap the netcord in disbelief. Even chair umpire Julie Kjendlie let out a wry smile.

"I would be giving too much credit to myself if I said I had control over it," Swiatek said after the match, "but I guess in situations like that, you remember it's worth it to kind of reach for every ball even though you think you might not get it.

"It was mostly luck."

Swiatek improved her head-to-head record to 2-0 over Pavlyuchenkova with a performance that was equal parts gritty and dominant. Bidding to make her second Grand Slam fourth round of the season, Swiatek broke immediately in the first game and protected that lead under pressure to take the first set after 51 minutes.

Swiatek did not face a break point in the opening set, but Pavlyuchenkova was able to take three of the Pole's service games to 30-all. After pocketing the first set, Swiatek powered through the remainder of the match to score her third straight-set win of the tournament. She finished with 19 winners to nine unforced errors.

Swiatek will face No.16 seed Liudmila Samsonova next, a rematch of last fall's China Open final, which Swiatek won 6-2, 6-2.

 wtatennis.com

I'd say Iga is definitely feeling more comfortable with each match today was another example. Focused, calm and in control. 

And the defense skils she shows took me right back to 2022. 

Samsonova certainly qualifies as tricky especially when she serves well. 

But I think if Iga just plays her game like she has been the past few matches she'll get through with no issues. It also depends on which Samsonova shows up as she hasn't always been consistent this season.

Iga Swiatek breezes into 3rd round at U.S. Open

 

World No.1 Iga Swiatek of Poland cruised into the third round of the US Open on Thursday with a 6-0, 6-1 dismissal of Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion and a four-time Roland Garros titlist, needed just 65 minutes to power past 217th-ranked Shibahara in their first singles meeting.


"For sure I used yesterday to practice a little bit and get my rhythm," Swiatek said, leveling up on Thursday after a tricky Tuesday first-round win over Kamilla Rakhimova. "I felt like I can play in a much more solid way, and I was making for sure better decisions [today]."

Next up for Swiatek will be a third-round match against No.25 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated 65th-ranked Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. Swiatek is 1-0 against Pavlyuchenkova, winning 6-0, 6-0 at 2023 Rome.

19: With the win, Swiatek has made her 19th straight Grand Slam third round appearance. She is the fifth player in the Open Era to reach the Round of 32 in 19 or more consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, joining Martina Navratilova, Stefanie Graf, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez.

20: Swiatek is now a commanding 20-2 in Grand Slam second-round matches in her career. Her only two losses in the second round of majors were to Camila Giorgi at the 2019 Australian Open and Anastasija Sevastova at the 2019 US Open.

20-0: Swiatek is also a perfect 20-0 against players ranked outside of the Top 100 at Grand Slam events, with eight of those wins coming at the US Open. The 23-year-old is also 7-0 against qualifiers at Grand Slam events (14-0 in sets).

wtatennis.com

Another round, another chance to do better. 

And better she did.

Great serving and a clean clinical performance. 6 unforced vs 41 in round 1. It's like night and day. 

As Iga herself mentioned she was definitely in the zone today.

Pavlachenkova will be another step up, but we believe.

Jazda!