World No. 2 Iga Świątek recently reflected on her surprising fourth-round exit at the China Open. The Pole struggled for rhythm against the USA’s Emma Navarro, falling in three sets. The victory marked Navarro’s eighth quarterfinal appearance of the season and her second at a WTA 1000 event.
What Did Iga Świątek Say After China Open Setback?
Świątek entered the clash as the clear favorite, not only as a top seed but also with the confidence of defeating Navarro in their Australian Open quarterfinal earlier this year. Her Beijing campaign had been equally commanding, as she stormed through the opening rounds, with at least one bagel in each match.
Świątek opened the match with an early break, but Navarro quickly turned the tide by breaking her opponent twice and clinching the first set 6-4. The world No. 2’s struggles became increasingly apparent as she piled up 70 unforced errors. Although she steadied herself to take the second set 6-4, she had no answer in the decider, collapsing to a shocking bagel and bowing out of the tournament she had captured in 2023.
Emma Navarro defeats Iga Swiatek in Beijing! 👏
A 4-6 6-4 6-0 win against the world No. 2 secures her spot in the quarter-finals! pic.twitter.com/v95XUO5nD0
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) October 1, 2025
The 24-year-old was asked to reflect on her loss to Navarro in her post-match press conference. She admitted that nerves and overwhelming emotions got the better of her and vowed to stay composed in the upcoming tournaments. Świątek acknowledged that nothing seemed to click for her in the fourth round.
“Yeah, for sure I was a bit more nervous because of that and maybe too much emotions, as well. I will try to, like, keep it more cool next time so I have more space in my head to problem solve. Honestly, I didn’t feel like anything was working. That’s why I got more and more, like, nervous,” she said.
MORE: ‘Tragic’ — Iga Świątek’s Collapse Against Emma Navarro in Beijing Leaves Tennis World in Disbelief
Navarro’s run sealed a historic milestone for American tennis in Beijing. The 24-year-old joins compatriots Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals, forming an American quartet, the first to reach that stage.
Meanwhile, Świątek will look to regroup and sharpen her game as she heads into the next WTA 1000 event in Wuhan. The Pole carries a solid 59-14 win-loss record this season with three titles already secured, and her status as the second seed should further lift her confidence. Still, with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and several other top contenders in the draw, the road ahead promises to be anything but easy.
