Iga Swiatek, the world’s No. 2 women’s tennis player and a five-time Grand Slam champion, is channeling her inner Carlos Alcaraz as she embarks on her 2025 clay-court campaign. Following a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over qualifier Jana Fett in her opening match at the Stuttgart Open on April 17, 2025, Swiatek revealed she’s working to incorporate a skill Alcaraz has wielded since childhood: the drop shot. “Yeah, that’s the idea, but it’s not like something new,” Swiatek said in a post-match press conference, acknowledging her long-standing desire to add the finesse shot to her arsenal. “I always wanted to do that, but for sure the technique isn’t perfect yet. If I haven’t been doing that since I’m a kid, like Carlos, for example, then it’s a bit harder to force it, you know, later on.”
Swiatek’s clay-court season is off to a promising start after a challenging year marked by a semi-final loss at the Australian Open and a stunning quarter-final defeat to 19-year-old Alexandra Eala at the Miami Open. The Polish star, who withdrew from the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers to focus on her clay preparation, is defending a whopping 4,195 ranking points over the next six weeks, including titles from Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros in 2024. Known for her blistering forehand and exceptional movement on clay, Swiatek is now looking to diversify her game by emulating Alcaraz, the four-time Grand Slam champion and defending French Open titleholder. “So, yeah, I want to try because this is the only way to improve that and to learn how to do that,” she added, signaling her commitment to mastering the delicate shot.
Alcaraz, who claimed the Monte-Carlo Masters title earlier this month, has long been celebrated for his creative shot-making, with the drop shot a hallmark of his game. The 21-year-old Spaniard, who also had a mixed start to 2025 with a surprise Miami Open loss, uses the shot to disrupt opponents’ rhythm, pulling them forward and exploiting open courts. Swiatek, whose game leans heavily on power and consistency, admitted that incorporating the drop shot isn’t instinctive for her. During her match against Fett, she attempted the shot once, unsuccessfully, but her willingness to experiment reflects her growth mindset. “If I haven’t been doing that since I’m a kid, like Carlos, for example, then it’s a bit harder to force it,” she said, highlighting the technical challenge of adopting a skill later in her career.
The Stuttgart Open, where Swiatek is a two-time champion, offers a perfect stage to test her evolving game. Her performance against Fett showcased improvements in her serve, a point of criticism after the Eala loss, with her first-serve win percentage soaring from 47% to 81%. “I’m just happy to be back on clay,” Swiatek told reporters, noting the surface’s slower conditions suit her aggressive style. Yet, her focus on the drop shot, inspired by Alcaraz, suggests a desire to add unpredictability to her already formidable game. The move comes as rivals like world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who reached the Stuttgart quarter-finals, have recently added variety to their play, prompting Swiatek to keep pace.
Swiatek’s admiration for Alcaraz isn’t new. The two have shared mutual respect since their breakout 2022 seasons, when both claimed US Open titles and ascended to world No. 1 rankings. Alcaraz, who once praised Swiatek’s 37-match winning streak, has served as a source of inspiration for her. “I see her year has been incredible,” he said in 2022, a sentiment that resonates as Swiatek now draws from his playbook. Their parallel journeys—both defending French Open titles and navigating the pressures of youth stardom—make Alcaraz a natural model for Swiatek’s ambitions. Her next challenge, a quarter-final clash against Emma Navarro or Jelena Ostapenko, will test her progress. Ostapenko, who holds a 5-0 head-to-head edge, looms as a particular threat, but Swiatek remains unfazed, saying, “Honestly, I’m not overthinking it. Doesn’t really matter.”
Beyond Stuttgart, Swiatek’s drop-shot experiment could prove pivotal at Roland Garros, where tactical versatility is key. “Clay gives me more time on my forehand, but adding shots like that can make a difference,” she noted, hinting at the strategic edge she seeks. As she fine-tunes her game under coach Wim Fissette, Swiatek’s willingness to learn from Alcaraz reflects her relentless drive to evolve. With the tennis world watching, her journey to master the drop shot promises to add a new dimension to her clay-court dominance, proving that even champions at the peak of their powers are always chasing improvement.