Iga Swiatek as has been expected but has now been confirmed will not play at the Ningbo Open due to injury and now her WTA Finals hopes are all but over.
The six-time Grand Slam winner struggled through against Maja Chwalinska and infamously ignored calls from her physio to retire from the match saying afterwards that she wanted to give Chwalinska the win fair and square.
She went on to lose in straight sets, but this has now had a knock-on effect as it has nearly ended her hopes of qualifying for Indian Wells - the season closer.
The injury has proven to be the straw that broke the camels back in her hopes to qualify. Following her defeat in the last four in Wuhan, Swiatek found herself to be 545 points behind Karolina Muchova, who is in the final spot for the WTA Finals.
How Swiatek can find a way in
With two events to go in the Ningbo Open and Pan Pacific Open, there are not enough points up for grabs to make up that 545 points especially with Muchova not scheduled to play in either. Her chances of qualifying are now over even if she went to play next week, she would still be 45 points behind Muchova.
She will be one of the alternates though alongside Marta Kostyuk who is currently 10th in the race and could overtake Muchova if she wins both events. But it remains to be seen whether Swiatek will see the money on offer and travel even at 50% fit or whether she will decide to just end her season.
“After careful consideration, I’ve decided to withdraw from the tournament,” she explained. “I’ve been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks and I feel that giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision.”
It is the first time since 2019 that Swiatek has failed to qualify for the season-ending tournament showcasing a real changing of the guard when it comes to her and her career trajectory.
The former World No.1 won the WTA Finals in 2023 beating Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-0 in the final, but has struggled in recent years failing to get out the groups in the last two. She is currently eighth in the overall WTA Rankings and she will finish in the top 10. But with Maja Chwalinska currently on the rise, she could yet be Poland's number two in the latest fall from grace.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.
mandoist09-11-2026 - Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!mandoist09-11-2026
- "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?mandoist09-11-2026
- Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.mandoist08-11-2026
- Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??mandoist08-11-2026
- Wtf? Why is there no reason? And what about the men's?Bel08-11-2026
- One step by another step -- WTA continues to 'lose the plot'. Too many hi-tech microphones being installed at most venues!!! Remove them (especially those along the hallways, sidewalks, and pathways throughout the venues. Not to mention (most of all) remove the mic's from the Players/Coaches Box.mandoist06-11-2026
- Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.mandoist06-11-2026
- Don't you just love this young lady!? We fans often expect athletes to be supermen and superwomen, often forgetting that they WILL GET TIRED! I love Alex's perspective. Tiredness for an athlete should never be viewed as a negative, especially if you are healthy, taking care of your body and mental health and putting in the work. What a mature perspective. Good for you, Alex!Rapunzel05-11-2026
- Jess is absolutely correct! But the disrespect is a trait I have noticed in most of the Russian players. Mirra is good but very immature and lacks humility. Conceivable needs to get a handle on that!Rapunzel05-11-2026
