Iga Świątek’s clay-court results this year have fallen short of last year’s standard. The Pole recently faced a shocking third-round exit from the Italian Open after losing to Danielle Collins.
Two-time doubles Grand Slam champion Rennae Stubbs recently spoke about the Pole’s partnership with Fissette. She also criticized a specific piece of advice the Belgian gave to Świątek during the third round of the Italian Open.
Rennae Stubbs Questions Wim Fissette’s Advice to Iga Świątek During Italian Open Loss
Świątek entered Rome following a quarterfinal exit in Stuttgart and a semifinal finish in Madrid. She was seeded second in the tournament and thus got a direct entry into the second round, where she defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 6-0.
But unlike her dominant performance against the Italian in the opener, Świątek seemed off-pace against Collins, who eventually won 6-1, 7-5. The American not only dashed Świątek’s hopes of a title defense but also defeated her for the second time.
Since winning the French Open title last year, Świątek has not won a trophy under coach Fissette, who joined her team in October last year. While the five-time Major champion struggled against Collins on the surface that has long been her strength, her coach, Fissette, offered some guidance from the sidelines.
“Play to win. Put your energy into the ball.”
Speaking on her podcast in the wake of Świątek’s recent dip in form, Stubbs suggested that while the Pole may be past the concerns around her performances (worry index), poor coaching continues to hamper her game.
“I think she is past the worry index. I think it’s both. She is not being coached well, and it is affecting her tennis,” she said.
Later in the conversation, Stubbs reflected on Fissette’s advice to Świątek during her match, saying it lacked tactical value. She called on the 45-year-old to offer Świątek more structured guidance and suggested he help her find her rhythm on court.
“I heard Wim say at one point ‘play to win,’ like dude what no! How about give her a thought process, go through the middle on these returns and go for it. If you lose the game, it’s okay. And then hit some first serves with kick, as a first serve. Get your rhythm back on the first serve. Something tactical, not play to win,’ she added.
Świątek’s partnership with Fissette also came under scrutiny after her disappointing semifinal exit at the Madrid Open.
Iga Świątek Reflected on Her Performance Post Italian Open Exit
Świątek was seemingly frustrated with her performance and made her thoughts clear during the post-match press conference. The 23-year-old admitted that dwelling on mistakes during the match resulted in her defeat.
“I don’t know. Well, I think I just wasn’t there present to, like, fight and to compete. I focused on mistakes. It’s my mistake, and I’m not doing things right. So yeah, the focus is on the wrong things from my side, and I’ll try to change that,” she said.
Nonetheless, the five-time Major champion shifts her focus to the French Open, where she will be the defending champion. Świątek holds a 27-9 win-loss record this season and will aim to win her first title of the season in Paris.
