Iga Swiatek’s Wimbledon Defeat to Alexandra Eala Left Agnieszka Radwanska ‘Worried’

Iga Swiatek‘s 2026 Wimbledon run ended in a disappointing fashion. In the third round, Swiatek, the defending champion, suffered a 7-6(9), 6-2 upset at the hands of Alexandra Eala, who registered her second win over the Pole to improve her head-to-head record to 2-1.

Swiatek has now lost multiple tournaments after defeats in the early rounds this year, which also include opening-round exits in Miami and Bad Homburg. She has not yet played a final since her win in last year’s Korea Open, with her only title this year being the United Cup team event win with Poland.

Her compatriot, former World No.2 and 2012 Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, during an interview with Tennis365, admitted that Swiatek’s performance during her match against Eala left her worried.

Well, that match, it was a good match. Eala played really solid tennis. The first set was really intense and good quality. Obviously, it was a couple moments that Iga had it there, and the tiebreaker could have gone either way.

Swiatek has made just one semifinal this year. And she reached it at the Italian Open, where eventual champion Elina Svitolina beat her in three sets.

But the only thing I was a little bit worried about was: the beginning of the second set went so quickly to Eala. 3-0 and two breaks in five minutes, I think. That was a really slow start [for Swiatek], and that cost her the set. Obviously, then she was fighting and coming back, and there were a lot of long games, but when you play someone at that level, you have to keep going. You cannot have that many ups and downs — that’s going to cost you.

Agnieszka Radwanska added

Last year on the grass swing, Swiatek reached the final of the Bad Homburg Open, also her first final on the surface. And although she failed to defeat Jessica Pegula, she shocked the tennis world with a double-bagel win over Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final.

This year, Linda Noskova clinched the title at the All England Club by defeating countrywoman Karolina Muchova, becoming the 10th different woman in the last decade to take home the grass-court Major.

Greg Rusedski on Iga Swiatek’s slump in form

Iga Swiatek started the 2026 season as the World No.2. And after her failed title defense at SW19, she has dropped to the eighth spot in the WTA rankings. Amidst her massive slump in form, former British No.1 Greg Rusedski has offered some advice to the Pole.

I think she’s putting so much pressure and so much expectation on herself. Like, she should be dominating like she was when she was winning those French Opens easily, winning the matches very convincingly. […] She’s got to find a way to find that love and remember what it was when she was a youngster, when there was just joy for playing tennis and finding ways to win. If she does that, she can find a way back. But sometimes she’s almost too intense.

Greg Rusedski said on his Off Court with Greg podcast

Rusedski also felt Alexandra Eala, during her Wimbledon match against Swiatek, looked like a person who had won six Majors. That the Filipino was the one with “swagger, walking around with confidence“, while the former WTA World No.1 was “very nervous” and “tight“.

Next is the North American hardcourt swing. Last year, Swiatek clinched the Cincinnati Open by defeating Jasmine Paolini. She did not play the Citi Open last year and instead started her campaign at the Canadian Open, where her run ended with a straight-set defeat to Clara Tauson in the fourth round.

Also read: Two Former World No.1s Give Insights into Alexander Zverev’s Mentality After Losing the Wimbledon Final to Jannik Sinner