'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Iga Swiatek suffered a shocking 1-6, 5-7 defeat in the third round of the 2025 Italian Open against Danielle Collins, bringing an end to her title defense. The Pole has had to suffer a lot of ordeals leading up to this year's French Open title defense.
Swiatek is suffering from nearly a year-long title drought, with her last title being the French Open in 2024. Things haven't gone according to plan for the Pole since her heartbreaking defeat to Zheng Qinwen at the Paris Olympics, where she was the favorite to win Gold. The former World No. 1 will head into the French Open this year with the hope of proving her naysayers wrong.
From a doping suspension to a troll heckling her, let's have a look at the nightmarish period Swiatek has undergone leading up to this year's French Open.
Trending
Iga Swiatek was handed a one-month doping suspension after testing positive for TMZ
In August last year, Swiatek tested positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine during an out-of-competition test. She was provisionally suspended from the 12th of September, following which she appealed their decision on September 22nd. The Pole explained that her consumption of the substance was unintentional, and it had entered her body through the medication melatonin, which she took to help with jet lag and sleeping issues. This was accepted by the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency), and her suspension was lifted on October 4, due to which she missed out on the Asian swing.
The 23-year-old made her case public on 28th November via a video on her social media, where she explained the happenings of her ordeal.
Iga Swiatek split with her longtime coach Tomasz Wiktorowski amid her doping ordeal
Amid her already hard doping ordeal, Iga Swiatek also split up with her longtime coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, under whose coaching she won four Grand Slam titles. Though this decision sent shockwaves throughout the tennis fraternity, Wiktorowski felt that the decision was a 'necessity'.
"It was simply a necessity. We have never made sudden, and above all, ill-considered decisions," he said.
Swiatek then made the decision to bring Naomi Osaka's ex-coach Wim Fissette on board. The Belgian coach has coached the likes of Zheng Qinwen, Kim Clijsters, Angelique Kerber, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, and Simona Halep. Unfortunately, the Swiatek-Fissette duo is still in search of their maiden title win, despite making it to the latter stages of events on many occasions.
Iga Swiatek was alarmingly harassed by a troll, who targeted her relationships with her mother and psychologists at the Miami Open
Ahead of her third-round match at the 2025 Miami Open, Swiatek geared herself up by getting some important practice. However, the session was ruined by an obsessed troll, who started maligning the Pole and her relationships with her mother and her sports psychologist, Daria Abramowicz.
Breaking her silence on the incident, Swiatek interestingly said the troll wasn't being very 'harsh' and just trying to disrupt her rhythm, which she admitted irked her. She also stated that the WTA helped her with some much-needed help in making her feel 'protected'.
"I wouldn't call it a threat because it wasn't so harsh. There was a fan who wanted to disrupt my rhythm. I try to focus on the fans who support me, but obviously when you hear something like that, you want to react. I think the WTA helped us, helped me, to feel protected," Swiatek said.
It is worth noting that Swiatek has defended her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, from the harsh criticism she has been subjected to.
Iga Swiatek lost her grandfather before the 2025 Madrid Open
Swiatek's grandfather passed away before the Pole's campaign at the 2025 Madrid Open. Polish journalist Michal Chojeki confirmed the news with the 23-year-old's PR manager, Daria Sulgostowska, who said the Pole attended her grandfather's funeral before the event.
"I asked Iga Swiatek's team if the information given by this journalist about the death of Iga's grandfather is true. Daria Sulgostowska (Swiatek's PR manager) confirms. Iga was at the funeral before the tournament," Chojecki wrote on X, in response to Maylin's post. (translated from Polish)
Despite dealing with a personal loss, she bravely made it to the semifinal, where she was eventually defeated 1-6, 1-6 by Coco Gauff.
Iga Swiatek is set to drop out of the Top 3 of the WTA rankings for the first time in three years
After failing to defend her title at the Italian Open, Iga Swiatek is set to drop out of the Top 3 of the WTA rankings for the first time in three years. She is currently placed fourth in the live rankings behind Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula, and the situation could worsen for the Pole if Jasmine Paolini wins the Italian Open, which would make the Pole the World No. 5.
The former World No. 1 is also placed fourth in the race to the WTA Final behind Aryna Sabalenka, Madison Keys, and Mirra Andreeva, however, she could drop down here as well, provided Coco Gauff reigns supreme in Rome.
If Iga Swiatek drops out of the Top 4, she may not headline a quarter at the French Open. This means she could face one of Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, or Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals.
