The clay courts of Roland Garros are stirring with anticipation as Iga Swiatek, Poland’s tennis titan, prepares to defend her French Open crown amid a rare crisis of confidence. A captivating video circulating online has revealed the 23-year-old training with her former coach, Piotr Sierzputowski, on Court Philippe Chatrier, a full two weeks before the 2025 French Open kicks off on May 25. This unexpected reunion, after their 2021 split, comes as Swiatek battles her worst professional slump, with no titles in 2025 and a drop to No. 5 in the WTA rankings. For the four-time Roland Garros champion, whose 35-2 record in Paris is legendary, this move signals a bold attempt to rediscover her dominance on the surface where she’s long reigned supreme.
Swiatek’s 2025 season has been a shadow of her former brilliance. Once the architect of “Iga’s Bakery,” dishing out bagels (6-0 sets) in 29% of her 2023 matches, she’s struggled to find her rhythm. A crushing 6-1, 6-1 semifinal loss to Coco Gauff in Madrid and a third-round exit to Danielle Collins in Rome marked low points, costing her 935 ranking points and her No. 2 spot. “It’s undoubtedly been tough. I’m clearly missing something,” Swiatek confessed after Rome, her candor revealing the toll of a season marred by a one-month doping ban in 2024, a coaching change, and personal struggles. “I need to step back, reassess, and tweak some things,” she added, pinpointing her sluggish movement and erratic serve as critical flaws.
The sight of Swiatek drilling with Sierzputowski, who coached her to her breakthrough 2020 French Open title at age 19, has electrified fans. Their partnership transformed her from a junior standout to World No. 17, her topspin-heavy forehand and relentless baseline game redefining women’s tennis. “I’ll simply strive to adjust my perspective a bit, regroup, and focus on day-to-day improvement,” Swiatek said, suggesting Sierzputowski’s return could realign her mental and tactical approach. The viral clip, capturing her intensity on Paris’s red clay, contrasts sharply with her recent listless performances, fueling speculation about her current coach, Wim Fissette. Hired in October 2024 after parting with Tomasz Wiktorowski, who guided her to four Grand Slams, Fissette noted her serve’s eight double faults in a Stuttgart loss to Jelena Ostapenko, citing a packed schedule as a barrier to major changes.
Swiatek’s early arrival at Roland Garros—unusual for a top player—underscores her urgency. “I feel like I wasn’t even in the right place with my feet before the shots,” she said after Madrid, identifying mobility as a persistent issue. Her team, including psychologist Daria Abramowicz since 2019, has been pivotal in navigating her admitted anxiety and the fallout from her 2024 doping saga, which saw her miss three events. Sierzputowski’s presence could leverage their past chemistry, when Swiatek’s game was a blend of precision and power, delivering double bagels in majors. Her 27-9 record this season, with four semifinal runs, shows consistency, but “I trust the process,” she said, determined to end her title drought.
As the No. 5 seed, Swiatek faces a daunting French Open draw, with potential quarterfinal clashes against Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff, or Jessica Pegula. Yet, her 5-0 clay record against these rivals, including a 6-2, 6-1 rout of Paolini in last year’s final, offers hope. With Sierzputowski’s guidance and the Paris crowd behind her, Swiatek is poised to fight for a fifth title in six years. The tennis world waits to see if this reunion can resurrect the Swiatek who once seemed invincible, or if her clay-court reign faces its toughest test yet.
Very nice to see this. Sierzputowski was Iga’s coach in her most formative years, who took her from an unranked junior to a Top 10 player. Good to know that they keep in touch. https://t.co/aGSsBU9hU4
— Sports, art, politics and culture (@sangeetapremi) May 17, 2025
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