The article was written by Agnieszka Niedziałek, a journalist for Sport.pl.
Three Roland Garros titles, a victory at the US Open, and 15 WTA tournament wins - that’s the impressive resume of the world's best tennis player achieved under the watch of Tomasz Wiktorowski, with whom the now 23-year-old player began collaborating just before the 2022 season. However, some see the glass as half empty, pointing out that, aside from her dominance in Paris, Świątek has lacked consistency in achieving strong results in other Grand Slam tournaments. Questions arose after her disappointing performance in the US Open quarterfinals - not about that single match but about the two-year period that highlighted her greatness but also areas where she clearly falls short, especially compared to Aryna Sabalenka. Is there cause for concern?
Between a Miracle Worker and Untapped Potential: "Some Treat Iga Świątek as if She Were a Cyborg"
Just a week ago, it was officially announced that Hubert Hurkacz had ended his five-year partnership with coach Craig Boynton. This may have prompted some fans to wonder if Świątek should make a similar move. Such suggestions had surfaced before - just like in other sports after lost matches. We decided to see if any experts see the same need.
Tomek Wiktorowski's results speak for themselves. If someone had told us nearly three years ago that this collaboration would result in four Grand Slam titles and an almost constant position as world number one, we would have considered the coach a miracle worker. But we have a nature that loves to complain
- says Adam Romer, editor-in-chief of "Tenisklub".
It’s true, however, that in the last two seasons, Świątek has shone on the Parisian courts, but in her six other Grand Slam appearances, her best result was reaching the quarterfinals, which she managed only twice. Let’s take a look at her achievements in the four most important tournaments:
- Australian Open: Round of 16 and third round
- Roland Garros: Victory and victory
- Wimbledon: Quarterfinals and third round
- US Open: Round of 16 and quarterfinals
By comparison, Aryna Sabalenka, ranked second in the WTA rankings, has two Grand Slam titles but has reached at least the semifinals six times and the finals four times in the last two seasons. On Saturday, she will have a chance to win the US Open. Sabalenka was unable to play in Wimbledon 2022 due to the war in Ukraine, and she missed this year’s edition due to health issues. Is Świątek’s recent lack of success outside of Paris a problem?
She's only 23 years old. She’s a young girl who’s still learning. Some people treat her as if she were a cyborg, but she's not. Do I see development in her game? She's constantly evolving. There are pluses and minuses in her game. Not everything is always visible to the fan’s eye during a match
- Paweł Ostrowski, former coach of Angelique Kerber, tells Sport.pl.
Did an Incredible 2022 Skew the Real Picture? "Świątek Is Always Criticized for Something"
The difference in Świątek’s results at Roland Garros compared to other Grand Slam tournaments over the last two seasons is even more striking when we recall her 2022 season, where she won in Paris and New York and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. The only weaker result was in the third round of Wimbledon.
I remember that back then, overly optimistic fans celebrated the beginning of a great dominance. They said a new queen of the courts was emerging. But tennis experts warned that it was a dangerous year because it was practically unrepeatable. Iga certainly stands out from the competition, but it’s not as if she will win everything, everywhere
- Romer points out.
Ostrowski echoes this sentiment:
I think we’re expecting too much. We want her to have total dominance. We wanted Iga to win Olympic gold in Paris, but the bronze she earned is also a valuable medal. We’ve grown accustomed to her winning everything, so when she suddenly loses, we start looking for reasons. But there’s no need for that
- he says.
He also points out that Świątek's playing style is much better suited to clay courts, as they allow her more time to prepare her winning shots, which she constantly seeks. Faster courts reduce that time, leading to mistakes and a loss of confidence.
Opponents then take risks, sometimes playing above their usual level against her, hoping to beat the world number one. Iga has been number one for a long time now, and the top player is often not liked by everyone. It seems like she’s constantly being attacked for something - whether it’s a long bathroom break, a raised racket, or something in the locker room. The fact that she handles all of this and still plays the way she does is truly remarkable. Perhaps all of this contributes to her winning smaller hard court tournaments more easily than Grand Slam events
- the former coach of Kerber and Marta Domachowska speculates.
Świątek Without Wimbledon? Fibak's Surprising Proposal: "It Always Disrupts Her"
All the experts I spoke to noted that it was Wiktorowski who, at the beginning of his collaboration with Świątek, "forbade" her from using drop shots. This made her game less varied, but the tactic has been justified by her impressive success in winning matches.
The problem arises when Iga isn’t in top form, and her opponent is, and that’s when a change of rhythm could help. I’m also a bit concerned about her serve. Jessica Pegula recently exploited that very well by attacking her second serve. It reminded me of her match against Caroline Garcia in Warsaw. Iga started taking more risks, and that led to nerves and mistakes
- Romer points out.
A Slump or Exhaustion? "At This Stage, the Risk Is Quite High"
Fibak emphasizes that he strongly supported Wiktorowski’s decision to eliminate the drop shot from Świątek’s game early in their collaboration, but he now believes it should be reintroduced.
I was fully supportive of removing it at the time. Iga wasn’t benefiting from it back then. Now, however, it’s time to bring it back
- he asserts.
Should Świątek consider a change in her coaching team after several years?
Ostrowski warns that while changing coaches can sometimes lead to breakthroughs, it’s also risky.
Initially, the player absorbs knowledge from the coach, but after a while, the formula may run out. The player needs something new. But change comes with risks. You wonder if a new coach will develop the right relationship based on trust. At this stage, the risk is quite high
- he warns.
