Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2 and four-time French Open champion, is grappling with an invisible opponent as she prepares to defend her Italian Open title in Rome: her own perfectionism. The 23-year-old Pole, who has yet to secure a title or reach a final in 2025, opened up about how her relentless pursuit of flawlessness has hindered her performance this season. “This year I feel like I am struggling a bit more with my perfectionism,” Swiatek confessed at a Rome press conference. “I have a love-and-hate relationship with my perfectionism.” As she steps onto the clay courts of the Foro Italico, Swiatek’s candid reflections reveal a champion striving to balance her high standards with the realities of a fiercely competitive WTA Tour.
Swiatek’s 2025 season has been a paradox of consistency and frustration. She has reached at least the quarterfinals in every tournament she’s entered, including semifinals at the Australian Open, Qatar Open, Indian Wells, and Madrid. Yet, the absence of a title—her last came at the 2024 French Open—marks a stark contrast to her 2024 clay-court dominance, when she swept Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros in a historic trifecta. Her most recent setback, a crushing 6-1, 6-1 semifinal loss to Coco Gauff in Madrid, laid bare her struggles. “The match with Coco for sure wasn’t good,” Swiatek admitted. “I had trouble focusing. I wasn’t moving well. I think everything kind of built up at one moment.” Despite the lopsided score, she remains pragmatic, insisting, “It’s just like one day. You can’t judge everything by it.”
The root of Swiatek’s challenges lies in her tendency to chase past glories. “I only remember the good stuff because I was winning titles and everything,” she said, acknowledging how memories of her 2024 triumphs cloud her decision-making. “I’m making decisions that are not really good at the moment because I just remember how it felt in previous tournaments.” This perfectionist mindset, which once fueled her 37-match winning streak in 2022, has become a double-edged sword. Her work with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz, a constant presence for six years, has helped her understand this trait. “My psychologist Daria Abramowicz gave me a lot in terms of helping me understand myself more and understand why I am such a perfectionist,” Swiatek noted in a 2022 BBC column, recalling how she’d ruin recipes by obsessively cutting sugar or flour.
The Polish star’s 2025 has been further complicated by off-court turbulence. A one-month suspension in November 2024 for testing positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance found in contaminated melatonin, shook her confidence. “The worst part of it was the uncertainty,” she said, describing the ordeal as “the most difficult experience of my career.” She also parted ways with longtime coach Tomasz Wiktorowski in October 2024, bringing on Wim Fissette, whose influence she defends despite her winless streak. “No, this is a very harsh and unfair statement,” Swiatek said when asked if Fissette was to blame, emphasizing their daily progress amid personal and professional challenges.
Rome, where Swiatek faces the winner of Emma Navarro and Anna Kalinskaya in the second round, offers a chance to reset. Her 2024 title defense saw her dominate Aryna Sabalenka in the final, and she’s eager to rediscover that form. “I’m proud of the consistency. Still, I feel I’m as consistent as I was in previous years,” she said, setting her sights on ending her title drought. “But for sure, I also want to win some tournaments. That’s the goal.” Social media buzz reflects fans’ hope, with one supporter posting, “Iga’s honesty about her struggles is why we root for her. She’ll find her spark in Rome.” As the French Open looms, Swiatek’s battle with perfectionism is as critical as her forehand, but her trust in her process—“I’m continuing the work that I’ve been doing”—signals a champion ready to evolve.
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