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‘She Now Lacks Strength’ – Iga Swiatek’s Childhood Coach Reveals the Pivotal Turning Point That Shook the WTA No. 1’s Reign

Since capturing the French Open title in June, Iga Swiatek’s run hasn’t quite hit the same heights. Although she made a deep push at the Paris Olympics, even reaching the semifinals, she struggled to deliver when it counted most. Recently, Swiatek withdrew from several tournaments, citing “fatigue” and “personal reasons.” But are these the real reasons for her recent struggles, or is there something more beneath the surface? In a recent interview with SPORT.PL, Swiatek’s childhood coach, Artur Szostacko, opened up about what might really be plaguing the Polish star.

There’s been no shortage of theories surrounding Swiatek’s performance dip, but Szostacko’s perspective cuts right to the heart of the issue. “Iga did not report any injuries, for me, it is a classic mental breakdown,” Szostacko said. “In this aspect, she now lacks strength, the defeat in the semi-finals of the Games cost Iga a lot. Perhaps Iga needed this reset, time will tell.” Swiatek has often spoken about the toll of the tight schedule—the physical exhaustion paired with the emotional strain. And it’s no wonder that experts are pointing to these reasons for her recent withdrawals.
According to Szostacko, the mind and body of an athlete are inextricably linked—when one suffers, the other soon follows. To understand Swiatek’s struggles, Szostacko believes we need to look back at the Olympics, where Swiatek entered as a favorite to claim gold. She faced China’s Qinwen Zheng in the semifinals, and on paper, it seemed a given. The head-to-head stood at 6-0 in favor of Swiatek. But tennis is rarely that predictable. In a shock to fans and experts alike, Zheng triumphed in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5, snapping Swiatek’s 25-match winning streak on Parisian clay and shattering her aura of invincibility at Roland Garros, where she hadn’t lost since 2021.

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