Is Iga Swiatek already feeling old at 24?
From a perfect conqueror to the fragile moments of a tennis "queen," Iga Swiatek continues her quest to rediscover her top form.
Swiatek’s showing at the 2025 WTA Finals likely serves as the most recent proof of her astonishing inconsistency this season: after a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Madison Keys, she suffered a reversal against Elena Rybakina with scores of 6-3, 1-6, 0-6. Tonight, Swiatek will battle Amanda Anisimova, with only the winner moving forward to the semifinals.
When the champion loses herself
Iga Swiatek was well-known for winning sets 6-0, a "devastating weapon" that intimidated opponents. However, at the 2025 WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, the world witnessed the opposite: Swiatek herself was shocked with a 0-6 set in her 6-3, 1-6, 0-6 loss to Elena Rybakina.
Swiatek started strong by taking the first set but completely collapsed in the next two. This downfall was evident not only in the scoreline but also in her vacant stare, consecutive unforced errors, and heavy body language from a player once known for her composure and discipline.
Experts noted this wasn’t the first time Swiatek "lost her way" like this. At the China Open, she was blanked by Emma Navarro in the final set. At the Wuhan Open, she also fell 1-6, 2-6 to Jasmine Paolini. These heavy defeats contributed to a strange 2025 season, full of contradictions between moments of brilliance and sudden crises.
Of course, Swiatek still reached dazzling heights. She won Wimbledon 2025, a title many believed would mark her "comeback." The final against Anisimova ended swiftly at 6-0, 6-0, proving that the Polish player’s level remains superior when at her best. Yet, when pressure returned, Swiatek easily crumbled.
Swiatek’s performance at the WTA Finals was as erratic as her form throughout the 2025 season.
“Swiatek failed to adapt to Rybakina’s tactical changes after the first set. From then on, she started to panic, frequently talking to her coach and signaling repeatedly, clearly lacking confidence. When forced into long rallies, she almost lost her fighting spirit. It felt like she had no Plan B,” commented former British No.1 Laura Robson on Sky Sports Tennis.
It is precisely this "Plan B," or rather the lack of flexibility under pressure, that is Swiatek’s biggest issue. Whenever the momentum shifts, she seems to lose emotional control, which was once her strength to overcome all pressure.
“I feel like I’m no longer young.”
It sounds odd coming from a player born in 2001, but that’s exactly what Swiatek shared with The National: “I faced completely new challenges this year and needed time to adjust. Maybe this is the first year I don’t feel young anymore. It’s a strange feeling. But winning Wimbledon made this season still special and wonderful.”
Though the words seem gentle, they reveal a Swiatek who is clearly aware of her limits, both physically and mentally. At 24, many players are still in their prime, but for Swiatek, who has competed at the highest level continuously since age 19, the sense of "aging" likely reflects fatigue after five years caught in the cycle of pressure, expectations, and success.
Another factor affecting her is the coaching change. At the end of 2024, Swiatek parted ways with Tomasz Wiktorowski, her coach during three brilliant seasons, to work with Belgian coach Wim Fissette. She admitted the early period with the new coach was "very challenging." “Wim joined my team after three perfect seasons, so there was almost nowhere else to go up. Winning Wimbledon might be the only thing I hadn’t done before,” she said.
After claiming the All England Club title, Swiatek regained some form and added two more trophies in Cincinnati and Seoul. Yet even in those victories, observers noticed a Swiatek who was less certain and dominant than before.
At the WTA Finals in Riyadh, she started with an easy 6-1, 6-2 win over Madison Keys, but experts understood that this victory did not erase signs of instability. Her collapse against Rybakina just days later confirmed it: Swiatek is battling her own mental state.
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