Despite being one of the top contenders, Iga Świątek had an unexpected early exit at the group stage of the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, which was surprising for many, including the Polish star herself. Świątek also made a somewhat controversial comment following the exit. And now, just days after, the World No. 2 shared a reflection on her 2025 season.
Iga Świątek Shares a Thoughtful Message After the WTA Finals Disappointment
Świątek started her WTA Finals campaign strong with a win over Madison Keys, but back-to-back losses to Elena Rybakina and Amanda Anisimova stopped her from moving past the round-robin format group stage.
After the loss, Świątek got honest with the media. She said she gave everything she had and had no regrets, even if some shots didn’t go as planned. “I fought, and I really didn’t give up. It wasn’t enough, which makes me sad, but maybe we all need to find some understanding, because when you do everything and it’s still not enough, I guess it means you just need to get your tennis better,” she said.
However, the line that grabbed the most attention was her mention of “karma.” “I don’t really get why I couldn’t get out of the group, but maybe I won too much last year, and this is karma,” she said. The comment sparked a lot of discussion online, with some fans taking it as a joke and others sensing her frustration.
The 2025 season has been full of big wins and a few tough moments for Świątek, and her experience in Riyadh seems to have sparked some reflection. A few days after her “karma” comment, she posted a more thoughtful message on Instagram. She wrote:
“It’s been few days already, but I wanted to say big thank you for the support during @wtafinalsriyadh. The level was amazing and hopefully next year I will be able to achieve better result, but I enjoyed the challenge and I’m super motivated to progress and develop my game more and more.”
At the end, she shared a simple personal message. “There will be time to write more and to properly wrap up the season but for now…do zobaczenia w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim! (“See you in Gorzów Wielkopolski!” translated from Polish).
Świątek’s Four Consecutive Years in the Top Two
Despite the disappointment in Riyadh, Świątek’s overall 2025 season proves her dominance. She ended the year ranked inside the world’s top two for the fourth consecutive year, a rare achievement previously accomplished only by Serena Williams and Martina Hingis.
In 2025, Świątek struggled initially and slipped down the rankings after failing to defend her points from several WTA 1000 events. She also couldn’t defend her Roland Garros title for the first time since her second win in 2022, losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. By the time she reached the Bad Homburg final, she had come down to No. 8 in the rankings. Although she lost the final to Jessica Pegula, the result pushed her back up to No. 4.
Świątek’s season turned around when she captured her maiden Wimbledon title, propelling her back to No. 2. She went on to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open and won the Korean Open, ultimately finishing the year ranked No. 2. Serena Williams achieved a similar four-year streak from 2013 to 2016 (1, 1, 1, 2), and Martina Hingis did so from 1997 to 2000 (1, 2, 1, 1). Świątek now has a chance to make it five consecutive top-two finishes in 2026 as her rivalry with Sabalenka continues.
