“Iga needed 30% effort to win, now she needs 100%”: Swiatek’s coach explains her biggest problem

Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 18:30

Iga Swiatek’s new coach Francis Roig believes the six-time Grand Slam champion has moved away from the identity that made her so successful, with confidence and technical issues contributing to a difficult 2026 season. After around five months working together, the Spaniard is now trying to help the Pole rediscover her best tennis while adding new elements to her game.

Swiatek has endured her weakest Grand Slam season in years. Her best result was a quarter-final run at the Australian Open, followed by fourth-round exits at Roland Garros and the US Open and a third-round defeat at Wimbledon, where she was defending champion. Her 12-4 (75%) record at the majors is her lowest winning percentage since 2019.

The disappointing results have also ended Swiatek’s four-season run of winning at least one Grand Slam title every year. Her biggest success in 2026 came at the Canadian Open, where she claimed her 12th WTA 1000 title, while she also reached the semi-finals in Rome and Cincinnati.

Swiatek is currently No. 9 in the WTA rankings and No. 10 in the Race, putting her five-season run of WTA Finals appearances under pressure. She won the season-ending tournament in 2023, but now has the China Open and Wuhan Open to strengthen her position and rebuild momentum before the end of the season.

Swiatek trying to rediscover her identity

Roig arrived at a difficult moment for Swiatek, with the coach joining her team after a period of poor results and growing questions about her game.

He initially felt the clay season was not the right time to make major changes, but after Wimbledon the pair decided that something had to be different.

“If we want this to move forward, we have to change things and do some things differently,” Roig said to Eurosport. “Iga has been a very successful player, although sometimes she has won in a way that I don't think is the best way. Perhaps she could have won even more. She did things too quickly. She ran more than she needed to, and she was looking to win the point too quickly.

“She used to win because she was a rock, but now opponents were simply waiting for her to make mistakes," the former Nadal's coach added. "We worked on her movement and on the way she strikes the ball, using her legs to hit the ball rather than just reaching for it.”

Swiatek prepares for her service at roland garros 2025

Iga Swiatek at 2025 French Open

That became increasingly problematic once her confidence began to fall, with Roig seeing the mental side of the problem as particularly important.

“In Iga's case, there is much more that is mental than technical, but there are many technical things too. She has movement that is probably top three in the world, so we don't want the point to go quickly. We don't want to play ping-pong.

“We want her to use more of the court and more time. She has the movement and the ability to control the point, so there is no need to rush everything. But these things take time. When you introduce changes like these, it can take three or four months before the player really feels them on court and trusts them in competition.”

The process has therefore involved more than simply adjusting individual shots. Roig believes Swiatek had begun moving away from the identity that had made her so successful.

“There was a moment when she wanted to change the way she played and become too aggressive, precisely when she had been a rock. Once she started losing, opponents began to believe they could beat her.

“When before she needed 30% effort to win, suddenly she had to give 100%. That is where the confidence problem comes in. When you are winning, you don't think about these things. But when you start losing, suddenly every point feels different and you start looking for solutions.”

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WTA Finals pressure and Grand Slam ambitions

Swiatek’s 2026 season has already ended a four-year run of winning at least one Grand Slam title every season. Away from the majors, her biggest success came at the Canadian Open, where she claimed her 12th WTA 1000 title, while she also reached the semi-finals in Rome and Cincinnati.

Those results have kept her within reach of the WTA Finals, but her position at No. 10 in the Race means qualification is no longer guaranteed. Swiatek would need a strong Asian swing, with the China Open and Wuhan Open offering two major opportunities to collect points and rebuild the consistency Roig believes she needs.

“Winning. Not just because of the title, but because of consistency. If she maintains a high level for three tournaments, she could qualify for the WTA Finals. A good swing would reinforce her confidence for 2027.”

Swiatek has also acknowledged that missing the WTA Finals would create more time for training and recovery, although her priority remains qualifying for the event she has played in each of the last five seasons.

For Roig, however, the bigger objective extends beyond the end of 2026. He believes the changes being made now can eventually return Swiatek to the very top of the sport.

“Right now, no, obviously. Can she be the best again? Absolutely. Iga will win Grand Slams again. I am convinced that she can dominate again, win again and become No. 1.”

Read also

Swiatek’s Grand Slam record this season shows how far she has fallen from the standards she established during her dominant years, but Roig does not see the current results as a permanent decline.

The aim is to restore the confidence and identity that allowed her to control matches while adding enough variety and patience to prevent opponents from simply waiting for mistakes. For Swiatek, the immediate target is the WTA Finals. The longer-term ambition, according to her coach, is considerably bigger: returning to No. 1 and adding more Grand Slam titles to a career that has already produced six.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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