World No. 2 and three-time Rome champion, Iga Swiatek, was recently defeated in straight sets by 35th-ranked Danielle Collins at the Italian Open. Due to this loss, Swiatek has had her earliest exit in Rome since 2020.
Unfortunately, the top athlete has been having a hard time finding her rhythm on clay courts this season, despite her dominance on the said surface for over five years. This concern raises speculations on whether Swiatek would still be able to defend her title at the Roland Garros.
Swiatek’s season performance so far
Since February, tennis fans and analysts have been waiting for Swiatek’s dominance in the sport. Previously, she had won 37 straight matches in the spring of 2022. However, she hasn’t looked like her usual self this season.
In 2025, Swiatek’s performance has fallen short at nearly every major tournament—Doha, Indian Wells, Stuttgart, Madrid, and Rome. These are all events where she thrived back then.
She has shown improvements in her plays at times during these tournaments this season, hitting strong shots and appearing to be more confident. But these moments did not last.
The athlete’s last two matches ended with heavy defeats against players she usually beats. She lost 6-1, 6-1 to Coco Gauff in Madrid, and was also defeated by Danielle Collins with a final scoreline of 6-1, 7-5
What happened to Swiatek?
After her defeat in Dubai, Swiatek admitted that she had not had enough time to train following her semi-final match at the Australian Open. “I would blame this performance on the lack of practice,” she said.
Moreover, the athlete shared after her loss in Madrid, “I feel like I wasn’t even in the right place with my feet, you know, before the shots…I’ve been forcing myself to go lower, to be more precise with my feet, because it’s not going by itself.”
In Rome, she also noted, “This year I feel like I’m struggling a bit more with my perfectionism… I want to for sure focus on, like, being disciplined on the court and making right choices, not the choices that sometimes pop out in my head, but being really solid…This is my main focus now.”
Swiatek will fall out of the WTA Top 3 for the first time since 2022. Furthermore, she has not won a single title since the French Open last year. Now, Paris is her last chance to turn everything around in her favour.
In a social media post, Swiatek shared her experience in Rome, captioned “Grazie Roma! Hopefully, next year will bring better result but the same quality of life.🇮🇹☺️”
Netizens expressed heartfelt support and encouragement, urging her to stay strong through difficult moments and reassuring her that better times are ahead.
One commenter wrote, “Always rooting for you, queen. Don’t give up. Your time will come. Love you ♥️,” while another shared, “There are rough times 1GA, but they bring you knowledge. I bet you will come back much stronger! I will always cheer for you! 💜👏🏼.”