Iga Swiatek loses form, former world No.1 points out the exact reason

Swiatek was unable to successfully retain her Wimbledon championship following an unexpected loss to Alexandra Eala, the number one player from Southeast Asia.

Ahead of the North American hard-court season, former world No.1 Kim Clijsters offered notable analysis on the declining form of the WTA's leading star: Iga Swiatek. According to the Belgian legend, although both players went through a tough period, the reasons behind their struggles are completely different.

For Swiatek, Clijsters believes the biggest issue lies in psychological pressure rather than technical skill. The 2026 season has seen the Polish player disappoint repeatedly, culminating in a defeat to Alexandra Eala in the third round of Wimbledon as she entered the tournament as the defending champion. That event also extended Swiatek's title drought since the Korea Open 2025.

As a result, the former world No.1 has dropped to eighth place in the WTA rankings and stands only 12th in the Race to WTA Finals, facing the risk of falling out of the Top 10 if she does not regain her form soon.

"I have the feeling that Iga is too desperate to win. That has gradually become an obsession.", Clijsters shared on the podcast Love All. "From the way she moves between points, returns to her chair, or reacts after each match, I can sense the pressure she is putting on herself."

According to the former four-time Grand Slam champion, Swiatek's past successes have caused her to set extremely high standards for herself. Instead of playing with the freedom she once had, she enters every match with the mindset of having to win.

"I think she doesn't need to train more, but rather needs to learn how to relieve pressure. Sometimes working smart is more important than overexerting yourself.", Clijsters emphasized.

Iga Swiatek will return to competition in early August at the prestigious WTA 1000 Rogers Cup 2026. Her best result at this tournament was reaching the semifinals in 2023.