Polish tennis star Iga Świątek advanced to her 22nd consecutive Grand Slam third round after overcoming American Caty McNally at Wimbledon on Thursday, July 3. The eighth seed is progressing steadily at the grass-court Major, even as several higher-ranked players have suffered shocking early exits.
The repeated early exits of top players haven’t changed Świątek’s view on the perceived inconsistency of the WTA Tour. She recently rejected that narrative, pointing out that players like her, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff have been winning consistently.
Świątek Defends WTA Consistency Amid Mass Top Seed Exits at Wimbledon
Before the final second-round match at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships concluded, as many as 36 seeded players crashed out of the competition. A record eight of those were top 10 seeds who fell in the opening round, the most ever at a Grand Slam since the start of the Open Era in 1968.
Świątek has looked strong at the grass-court Major so far, recording wins over Polina Kudermetova and McNally in straight sets to reach the third round. The Pole is among the few top 10 seeds remaining in the draw, alongside Sabalenka, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, and Mirra Andreeva.
During her post-match press conference, Świątek was asked whether the game has grown more competitive beyond the top five, given the early exits of several top seeds at Wimbledon. The world No. 8 pushed back on suggestions that the WTA lacks consistency among its elite players.
“I have no idea what’s gonna happen in the future. And also, I remember you guys asking me questions why there’s no consistency on the WTA. I don’t feel that. Me and Aryna and Coco have been winning a lot,” she said.
Iga Swiatek on people saying there’s no consistency in the WTA, ‘I don’t feel that. Me and Aryna and Coco have been winning a lot. Sometimes we lose early, because the schedule is pretty crazy. You can’t win everything’
“Do you find that the game has become a lot more… pic.twitter.com/e02kAsiEdx
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 3, 2025
Sabalenka has had a dominant 2025 season, capturing the Australian Open title and WTA 1000 trophies in Miami and Madrid, along with a runner-up finish at the French Open. Gauff claimed her second Grand Slam title at the French Open last month, backing up Świątek’s point about consistent winners on tour.
Although Świątek hasn’t won a title since her French Open triumph last year, she has consistently reached the knockout stages this season. The five-time Grand Slam champion has made it past the second round in every tournament she’s entered in 2025, showing the kind of steady performance that contradicts claims about WTA inconsistency.
During her campaign in Dubai in February, she attributed the lack of consistency among players to the demanding tour schedule, and she echoed that point at Wimbledon as well.
“Sometimes we lose early, because the schedule is pretty crazy. You can’t win everything. I feel like on grass, there are many upsets every year. It’s a surface we shouldn’t really… I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter what happens here when we go to the hard court season, I would say,” she added.
Świątek’s comments highlight the unique challenges of grass-court tennis, where the playing surface can level the field between higher and lower-ranked players. The slick conditions and low bounces often favor aggressive players who can adapt quickly, regardless of their ranking.
The wave of early upsets also continued in the men’s draw at Wimbledon, with Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Jack Draper, and Lorenzo Musetti all making surprise exits. Meanwhile, top 10 seeds like Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokokovic, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and Ben Shelton remain in contention.
Świątek Will Face Danielle Collins in the Wimbledon Third Round
Updated on July 5: Świątek defeated Collins 6-2, 6-3 in the third round of Wimbledon. This victory secures Świątek’s place in the fourth round and will face Clara Tauson.
Świątek will now shift her focus toward the USA’s Danielle Collins in the third round of the Wimbledon Championships on Saturday, July 5. The Pole holds a massive 7-2 head-to-head advantage over the American, and Saturday’s clash is set to be their 10th meeting on tour, according to their official head-to-head record.
However, Collins secured a stunning straight-set win in their previous encounter in the third round of the Italian Open. That victory came on clay, Collins’ preferred surface, but the American has shown she can trouble Świątek when playing her best tennis.
Collins, who announced this will be her final season on tour, has been playing with freedom and aggression throughout 2025. The 31-year-old reached the Australian Open final in 2022 and has the power game to trouble any opponent on her day.
The winner of this contest will face 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina or Clara Tauson in the fourth round. With many top seeds already out, Świątek has a strong chance to make a deep run at SW19 this year and improve on her third-round finish from last year.
The path appears clearer for Świątek to reach her first Wimbledon quarterfinal, especially with several dangerous floaters eliminated early. Her steady improvement on grass over recent years, combined with the chaos in the draw, could finally lead to a breakthrough at the All England Club.
