Why Swiatek is ending her ‘most demanding’ season now
Six‑time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has announced she will finish what she called “one of the most challenging” seasons of her career early. The 25‑year‑old Polish player missed out on a spot at the year‑end WTA Finals for the first time since 2019 after withdrawing from the Ningbo Open on Tuesday with a thigh injury. She said she will use the extra time to rest and recover before returning in 2027.
Swiatek’s ranking has slipped to ninth, marking the first year since 2021 that she ends a season without a Grand Slam title. She will have a chance to complete the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. Her most recent major triumph came at Wimbledon last year.
The only WTA title she captured in 2026 was the Canadian Open in August, and she closed the year with a 42‑16 win‑loss record. On Saturday she was beaten by fellow Pole Maja Chwalinska in the Wuhan Open semi‑finals, a loss that was only her fourth in 23 matches. Swiatek required treatment on her left leg before the match, saying the problem had bothered her for several weeks.
“I’m especially proud of the work we’ve done in the second half of the year and the progress that came with it,” Swiatek said, adding that it gives her confidence for the future.
The decision to cut short her campaign was not unexpected after the Ningbo withdrawal. With automatic qualification for the WTA Finals usually a baseline goal, continuing the season seemed unnecessary, especially without a clear mental break. Even if the thigh had healed in time for a tournament in Tokyo or an alternate spot at Indian Wells, the respite she needed would still have been missing.
The year has been marked by change and frustration. In March Swiatek ended her partnership with Belgian coach Wim Fissette and soon after hired Spaniard Francisco Roig, former coach of Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu, hoping to become “a rock on the court.” Her victory at the Toronto WTA 1000 event was the season’s highlight, and her emotional outburst after beating world No. 1 Elena Rybakina suggested a turning point.
Nevertheless, the stress and anxiety she has spoken about on court have persisted, leading to unforced errors. She has often been overtaken by emotion during matches, most recently wiping away tears after the loss to childhood friend Chwalinska. While the injury played a role, her candid comment that missing the WTA Finals would allow her “to go on a longer vacation” underscored the need for a substantial break before she returns in 2027.