Iga Swiatek, once the undisputed “Queen of Clay,” stood in the press room at the 2025 Italian Open, her shoulders slumped and her voice tinged with resignation. The world number two had just suffered a crushing 6-1, 7-5 defeat to Danielle Collins in the third round, a loss that marked her earliest Rome exit since 2020 and deepened the crisis enveloping her 2025 season. With the French Open, her stronghold where she has claimed four titles, just weeks away, Swiatek’s confidence appeared shattered. “It would be stupid to expect a lot,” she admitted, her words echoing the doubts that have crept into her game as her clay-court dominance wanes.
Swiatek’s 2025 has been a stark departure from the relentless brilliance that saw her sweep Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros in 2024. The Polish star, who has held the world number one ranking for 125 weeks, has not lifted a trophy since her French Open triumph last June. Her clay season, expected to be a lifeline, has instead been a series of setbacks. In Stuttgart, she fell to Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals. In Madrid, a 6-1, 6-1 semifinal thrashing by Coco Gauff left her in tears, covering her face with a towel as the weight of defeat sank in. Now, in Rome—a tournament she has won three times—Collins, ranked 35th, outmaneuvered her with aggressive returns and a commanding first set. “I wasn’t even in the right place with my feet before the shots,” Swiatek reflected, pinpointing her sluggish movement as a persistent issue. Her first-serve percentage, a dismal 36% against Collins, allowed the American to pounce, breaking her serve six times.
The Rome loss will see Swiatek plummet to number four in the rankings, her lowest position since 2022, and she faces the prospect of entering Roland Garros as a non-top-three seed for the first time in years. Her 22-7 win-loss record in 2025 masks the severity of her struggles, with one-sided defeats to Ostapenko (6-3, 6-1), Mirra Andreeva (6-3, 6-3), Alexandra Eala (6-2, 7-5), and Gauff exposing vulnerabilities. “I’m struggling a bit more with my perfectionism,” Swiatek confessed, acknowledging a mental battle that has compounded her on-court woes. Her coach, Wim Fissette, urged her to “play to win” and channel energy into her shots, but Swiatek’s game has lacked the precision and ferocity that once overwhelmed opponents like Jasmine Paolini, whom she crushed 6-2, 6-1 in the 2024 Roland Garros final.
Swiatek’s downturn traces back to a tumultuous 2024. A one-month suspension for a positive test for trimetazidine, linked to contaminated melatonin, sidelined her during the Asian swing and drew intense scrutiny. The International Tennis Integrity Agency deemed the violation unintentional, but the episode, coupled with the death of her grandfather in early 2025, left her emotionally rattled. Parting ways with her long-time team, which guided her to five Grand Slams, and hiring Fissette has yet to yield results. “I know what I need to correct,” Swiatek insisted, hinting at technical adjustments, but her dejected demeanor suggested uncertainty about reclaiming her form.
The tennis world is abuzz with speculation about Swiatek’s prospects in Paris, where she boasts a 34-2 record and hasn’t lost since 2021. Social media posts reflect fans’ concern, with some urging her to skip Roland Garros to regroup for Wimbledon, where her grass-court game remains unpolished. Others, like former champion Tracy Austin, doubt her ability to defend her title, citing her lack of rhythm. Yet, Swiatek’s history of resilience—saving a match point against Naomi Osaka en route to the 2024 title—offers hope. Her forehand, once clocked at 79 mph with Nadal-esque topspin, and her intricate footwork remain potent weapons when firing. Comparisons to Rafael Nadal, who won Roland Garros in 2022 despite a barren clay lead-up, fuel cautious optimism.
As Swiatek prepares for Paris, the pressure of defending 2000 ranking points looms large. Rivals like Aryna Sabalenka, who has overtaken her as number one, and Gauff, now number two, are poised to capitalize. Collins’ victory, only her second in nine meetings with Swiatek, underscores the field’s growing belief that the Pole is vulnerable. Still, Swiatek’s love for clay and her 77-10 career record on the surface suggest she could yet summon the magic that made her a three-time consecutive Roland Garros champion. For now, the tennis world waits to see if the Queen of Clay can reclaim her crown or if her reign is truly slipping away.
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