Things went from bad to worse for Iga Świątek at the Madrid Open as she was forced to retire from her third-round match against Ann Li. The Pole left the court in tears, minutes after calling a medical timeout.
Świątek’s early exit at the Madrid Open means that she could drop down to as low as world No. 5 in the rankings, depending on how Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula fare at the WTA 1000 tournament.
Iga Świątek Forced to Retire From Madrid Open Match
After a strong start to her Madrid Open campaign, Świątek seemed to be up against it right from the get-go in the third-round match against Ann Li on Saturday. The 24-year-old lost the first set in a tie-break as she struggled with what appeared to be an illness.
The WTA Tour shared news of her retirement from the match on X.
“Feel better soon Iga! Ann Li is into the next round after Swiatek is forced to retire due to illness,” they wrote.
Świątek bounced back and won the second set 6-2, but quickly fell a break behind in the decisive third set. She called a medical timeout and had her vitals checked before returning to the court.
Iga definitely looking under the weather, just had a physio out on court pic.twitter.com/QRc2KIPw9c
— til polarity’s end 🎾⚡#SpallettiEra⚡⚫⚪ (@lildarkcage) April 25, 2026
But the return was short-lived as the six-time Grand Slam champion was forced to retire just one game later. She appeared to be in visible discomfort during the medical timeout and left the court in tears with her hand on her face.
Iga 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 pic.twitter.com/FxjXMnmyLn
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 25, 2026
The retirement is the latest blow in what is quickly turning into a wretched season for Świątek. She helped Poland win the United Cup in January but has not reached the semifinals in any singles tournament this year.
Świątek also parted ways with her coach, Wim Fissette, following her second-round exit at the Miami Open. After taking advice from Rafael Nadal, she hired Francisco Roig as her head coach ahead of the clay-court season.
But the clay-court season has not started as planned for Świątek. She was beaten in her second match in Stuttgart by Mirra Andreeva, and this early retirement in Madrid comes as another big blow in her bid to return to top form.
MORE: Iga Świątek’s Lost ‘Clarity’ Creates Serious Concern for Coco Gauff’s Former Coach Brad Gilbert
It remains to be seen whether Świątek will face an extended period on the sidelines. The four-time French Open champion is next due to play at the Italian Open in two weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, Świątek becomes the highest-ranked opponent Ann Li has beaten in her career. After defeating the world No. 4, the American will next face Leylah Fernandez in the Round of 16.
