IGA Swiatek has reigned supreme in Roland Garros since he won the Grand Slam for the first time in adolescence in 2020, but a difficult year means that it is far from being the obvious choice this time for the title. Swiatek fell to a fifth ranking this week, ending a 173 -week stay in the first two, which probably means that it faces a more difficult path to a fifth French open crown in six attempts. She has been without title since he won the third consecutive time in Paris last June, the first woman to do so since Justine Henin raised the trophy from 2005 to 2007.
“It was not easy. Of course, I do something wrong. So I just have to get together and change certain things,” Swiatek said after a third round defeat against Danielle Collins in Rome.
This ended the defense of the title of Swiatek at Foro Italico and came to the heel of a defeat 6-1, 6-1 by Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of Madrid.
Swiatek has progressed to the last eight or better in seven of the eight events in which she has played this year, but has not yet reached a final, wasting a match point against the possible Madison Keys champion in the Australian semi-finals.
Her difficulties can be traced towards the end of last season when she missed the Asian swing citing “personal questions”.
It was not until later that he revealed that she had been absent due to a one -month ban for having tested positive for trietazidine of the prohibited heart medication.
She has always denied doping knowingly, saying that it came from contaminated prescription drugs to help her sleep.
Swiatek called her “worse experience of my life” and said the incident caused “huge stress and anxiety”.
The authorities have accepted her explanation for contamination and she returned to the WTA final in Riyadh, but other problems have occurred this season.
Swiatek came into a criticism after having a bullet in the direction of a ball boy at Indian Wells. She then received additional security in Miami after being harassed by a spectator during her training.
The 23-year-old woman returned to Poland last month for her grandfather’s funeral before the Madrid Open. During the defeat against Gauff, she broke down a change and sobbed in her towel.
Swiatek often looks tense in the court and admitted that she had cried for six hours after losing against Zheng Qinwen in the semi-final of the 2024 Olympic Games in Roland Garros. It was also visibly turned upside down during the media shelter after its release in Rome.
Swiatek admits confusion
Its partnership with the multiple coach of the Grand Chelem Wim Fissette, which Swiatek hired last October to replace Tomasz Wiktorowski, has not yet paid off.
Fissette helped Kim Clijsters, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka to win all majors, but Swiatek said that the coach was not responsible for his recent results. She also defended the role played by her longtime sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz.
“I make decisions that are not really good at the moment because I just remember what it felt in previous tournaments or in previous years,” said Swiatek.
“I somehow guess it will enter and then make mistakes. It is not the same thing – I am confused.”
Henin thinks it could get worse for Swiatek to Roland Garros.
“She is in a vicious circle. It is not surprising to see her in difficulty,” Henin told Eurosport last week.
“But maybe it’s time for things to come to a head, that things go out, that she analyzes and understands what happens to the great perfectionist she is.
“You might think that it would be here at Roland Garros where she will finally flow before maybe get back on the right track.”
This view of the quadruple champion of Swiatek French Open says a lot about a player who was almost untouchable in Paris, winning his last 21 games and 35 of 37 in total.
Gauff, beaten by Swiatek in the 2022 final and whose last two French openings also ended in the hands of the post, warned against the reduction of his rival which collapses.
“I always think that if someone wins a tournament which, several times, whatever the form in which he is, he can certainly find a way to win again,” said Gauff.
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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