“I’ll be able to answer that in two days”: Iga Swiatek eyes Wuhan turnaround with WTA Finals in sight
WTA
Iga Swiatek arrives at the Wuhan Open knowing that a strong week could be crucial to keeping her WTA Finals hopes alive. The Pole is entering the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season with two additional WTA 500 events already on her schedule, but she has little room for another disappointing result if she wants to return to the season-ending championships.
Six players have already qualified for the WTA Finals: Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Linda Noskova. Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova currently occupy the remaining qualifying positions, while Marta Kostyuk and Swiatek are among those trying to catch them in the final weeks of the season.
The challenge facing Swiatek is considerable. She sits tenth in the Race with 3,809 points, more than 800 behind Muchova, who currently holds the seventh qualifying position with 4,625. Wuhan offers the Pole a valuable opportunity to close that gap, although her campaign will not end in China regardless of the result, with Ningbo and Tokyo still to come.
Swiatek arrives after reaching the China Open quarterfinals, where victories over Donna Vekic and Iva Jovic preceded a straight-sets defeat to Elise Mertens. She has a 39-15 record this season and one singles title, won in Toronto in August. With the end of the year approaching, she is looking to build on that success and find greater consistency under new coach Francisco Roig.
Swiatek explains the changes behind her progress
Swiatek acknowledged that her season has been less consistent than she would have liked, but she believes the work with Roig is moving her game in the right direction. The Pole has been adjusting aspects of her tennis in practice and identified the North American hard-court swing as the most encouraging stretch of her campaign.
“For sure, I needed to change some stuff, and Francisco (Roig) has a really great idea for my game. I feel like we're developing my game on the practice court quite a lot, and it's been good progress,” the 6-time Grand Slam champion said in her pre-tournament interview. “The US Open swing was for sure the most positive part of the season, so that shows I'm going in the right direction.”
Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates her 6-2, 6-3 win over Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina to clinch the National Bank Open final
The Canadian Open title provided a significant boost, but Swiatek has been unable to maintain that momentum consistently since then. Her Beijing run offered some encouragement before Mertens stopped her in the last eight, leaving Wuhan as another opportunity to translate those improvements into the results she needs.
“It's been an intense season, so I want to finish it with a good result, maybe to start the next one in a positive way,” Swiatek added. “I'm really happy to be here, but I'll take it step by step, as usual.”
Wuhan conditions still present a question for Swiatek
Swiatek is competing in Wuhan for only the second time, making her assessment of the playing conditions another part of her preparation. She explained that the balls and humidity were the main differences she remembered from last year's tournament compared with Beijing, but she had not practised enough to judge how they would affect her this time.
“From what I remember last year, the biggest differences were the balls and the humidity. But obviously, I haven't had time to practise this year yet, so I'll probably be able to answer those questions in about two days.”
The Pole also praised the support she receives from Chinese fans, highlighting the handmade gifts and letters that have become a familiar part of her visits. “Every year I'm shocked by how enthusiastic the fans are, how committed they are and how much they care about us."
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"There are so many handmade gifts and letters, and I'm really grateful for that, because this is what we need at the end of the season to keep pushing.”
Swiatek's immediate priority is to make the most of Wuhan before turning to Ningbo and Tokyo. Those events give her additional opportunities to collect points, but the gap to Muchova means she needs a substantial run sooner rather than later. The Pole is determined to take the closing stretch match by match, with her qualification hopes and the progress under Roig both depending on how well she finishes the season.
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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