Concerns surrounding Iga Świątek’s 2026 season show no signs of easing. The Pole was tipped by many to mount a strong comeback at the Miami Open, but those hopes were dashed after a shock second-round defeat to compatriot Magda Linette. The loss also brought an end to her remarkable 73-match opening-match winning streak.
In the aftermath, Coco Gauff’s former coach Brad Gilbert offered a candid take on her ongoing struggles.
Brad Gilbert Sounds Alarm After Iga Świątek’s Miami Open Defeat
Świątek has yet to lift a singles title this season but has at least maintained consistency with quarterfinal finishes in her previous three tournaments. Against that backdrop, her second-round exit at the Miami Open came as a massive surprise, also considering her pedigree. Moreover, the world No. 3 had entered the event on the back of 73 consecutive opening-match wins on the WTA Tour, a run stretching back to the WTA Finals in 2021.
Świątek looked in complete control early on, broke her compatriot twice, and secured the opening set 6-1. However, Linette responded with resilience in the second, seizing a crucial late break to edge the set 7-5 and force a decider.
The momentum stayed with Linette in the third as she surged ahead 5-2, but Świątek mounted a brief resistance, saving two match points to extend the contest. Still, Linette held her nerve in the following game, converting her fourth match point to seal a statement victory.
MORE: Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff Are in a Transitional Period: Andrea Petkovic’s Unfiltered Assessment
While Linette stunned the tennis world with her commanding display and set up a third-round meeting with Alexandra Eala, the spotlight quickly shifted to concerns around Świątek’s form.
Gilbert, best known for his coaching stints with Coco Gauff and Andre Agassi, got honest about player dynamics after the six-time Grand Slam champion’s defeat, first acknowledging the end of her remarkable winning streak. “absolutely amazing streak how many tournaments 🏟️ was it,” he wrote on X.
absolutely amazing streak how many tournaments 🏟️ was it
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) March 20, 2026
However, a run of early defeats could significantly erode Świątek’s perceived dominance among her opponents, as former world No. 4 Gilbert explained in a separate post on X.
“no matter how great 👍 you have been you get tremendous equity from lots of wins, once you start losing a bit especially earlier then normal, players come out with completely different attitude from the start of matches,” he wrote.
no matter how great 👍 you have been you get tremendous equity from lots of wins, once you start losing a bit especially earlier then normal, players come out with completely different attitude from the start of matches
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) March 20, 2026
It remains to be seen how the former world No. 1 responds from here. The Pole has already acknowledged the need to reset and draw positives from her practice sessions moving forward. Meanwhile, Linette turns her focus to the next round against a formidable Eala, who holds a slight edge with a 56% win probability according to PFSN’s Tennis Simulator.
