Seven-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 Mats Wilander believes WTA World No. 2 Iga Świątek needs to play more matches to rediscover her best form. The Swedish great also suggested that a dip in confidence currently leaves the Pole trailing her rival, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, whom he described as a less sensitive player.
Ex-World No. 1 Compares Iga Świątek to Rafael Nadal and Explains Why She Is Not ‘As Good’ As Aryna Sabalenka
Świątek enjoyed a solid 2025 campaign, highlighted by two titles, most notably her maiden Wimbledon crown, followed by a WTA 1000 triumph in Cincinnati. She also reclaimed a place inside the top two that season, becoming the first player this century to finish four consecutive years in that elite bracket. Overall, the season clearly reflected her potential
However, she failed to close the season on a high, exiting in the group stage of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, with her lone victory coming against Madison Keys. Her campaign ended with a defeat to Amanda Anisimova at the same event, after which she naturally entered a nearly two-month-long offseason break.
It is worth noting that the Australian Open remains the only major title missing from Iga Świątek’s trophy cabinet. The six-time Grand Slam champion arrives in Melbourne short on form, even though Poland eventually won the United Cup. She heads into the season’s first Grand Slam on the back of consecutive defeats to Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic.
However, that rough patch has been linked to the lack of match play for the World No. 2 in recent times, with the situation likened to that of 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
“Well, the issue to me is that she needs matches. She’s very similar to Rafael Nadal in that situation where she needs matches. And when you come from the end of the season, the year before, and you have two months when you don’t play any matches, pretty much, it’s going to affect some people,” Wilander told TNT Sports.
Wilander explained that Świątek reaches an elite level when she is confident, but her performances fluctuate because she is susceptible to changes in her self-belief.
“I think that Iga Świątek, when she’s confident, she’s an absolute animal. She’s unbelievably good. She believes in herself. But I do think that she’s a very sensitive human being when it comes to confidence,” he said.
Furthermore, the Swedish legend also explained the contrast in the psyche of Świątek and Sabalenka. Wilander explained that Świątek’s performances suffer when confidence dips because her belief in her own greatness depends on results, whereas Sabalenka’s self-belief is unwavering and remains unaffected, regardless of whether she wins or loses matches.
“When she doesn’t have the confidence, her tennis is not as good because I think she needs confidence to believe that she’s a great player. I think that if you compare it to Aryna Sabalenka, I think Sabalenka knows that she’s a great player, and you cannot take that away from her, whether she wins matches or loses matches.”
Sabalenka, meanwhile, ended 2025 as the WTA World No. 1 after a dominant season that featured a 63–12 record and four titles. The Belarusian also reached the finals of the Australian Open and French Open before successfully defending her US Open title.
While Wilander offered his perspective, it is worth noting that the Pole still holds a convincing 8–5 advantage in her head-to-head record against the Belarusian. That said, Sabalenka has won their last two meetings, prevailing in Cincinnati in 2024 and again at Roland Garros last year.
