Russian Ex-Pro Issues Grim Verdict on Iga Swiatek’s 2025 Slam Chances After Disappointing Mid-Season Finish
Iga Swiatek had a year full of surprises, but unfortunately, fewer reasons to celebrate. After a concerning finish to the season, fans have been speculating about her chances in 2025, especially at the Australian Open first because her results at the hardcourt Slam this year weren’t laudable. However, the equation gets really worrisome when a Russian ex-pro hands a no-slam win projection for her upcoming season.
The Polish star went on an impressive winning streak during the summer swing. She captured back-to-back titles in Madrid, Italy, and won her third consecutive (4th overall) French Open title in Paris. However, things only went downhill from there. Swiatek’s quest for a gold medal at the Olympics wasn’t successful and later, she announced parting ways with longtime coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. Seemingly tired of achieving underwhelming results on surfaces apart from clay, the Pole added Naomi Osaka‘s ex-coach Wim Fisette to her team instead.
She hoped to obtain better results under the Belgian coach’s tutelage, but, was met with another troubling update. She tested positive for a prohibited substance (trimetazidine) during an out-of-competition sample. Though the ITIA accepted her defense and noted that the contamination was indeed unintentional, Swiatek had to serve a one-month doping ban. As a result, she was forced to sit out the entire Asian swing. With that sentence almost served, the Pole is gearing up for a comeback in 2025 but, Dinara Safina believes it won’t do her much good.
