Iga Swiatek’s Honest Assessment of Her Performance After Roland Garros Heartbreak

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka ended three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek's 26-match win streak in the Roland Garros semifinal.

Iga Swiatek’s Honest Assessment of Her Performance After Roland Garros Heartbreak

Iga Swiatek (Image via WTA/X)

Perhaps many had thought before the women’s semifinal that Iga Swiatek‘s winless run would continue even after the 2025 French Open. It was because she was pitted against Aryna Sabalenka, the most successful player of the season.

Swiatek had a slow start, losing multiple games as she was not covering the court and reaching for the balls, losing three consecutive games in the process. But she made a strong comeback, taking the set to the tie-breaker which Sabalenka clinched to take the lead, but couldn’t capitalize in the next set.

Swiatek kept herself alive in the match by winning the next set, but what happened next surprised the viewers of the game. Her 26-match winning streak was ended, but the way it was done was shocking.

Swiatek has a reputation for serving bagels and breadsticks to her opponent. But in the semifinal, it was she who was at the receiving end of a bagel in the final set. Sabalenka, with her win in two hours and 19 minutes with a 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 scoreline, booked a spot in her seventh final of the season. Swiatek, though disappointed, was positive about her performance.

Yeah. I love playing here. For sure I’m happy I was fortunate enough to play so many great tournaments here. Even this one. I feel like I played better than weeks before. So I’m just happy I have this place to come back to every year and I’ll just try to push myself.

Iga Swiatek said at the press conference

Before Paris, the five-time Grand Slam champion had reached the quarterfinal of every tournament she played this season except for the Stuttgart Open, where Danielle Collins ended her run in the third round. She hasn’t yet reached a final since winning her third consecutive French Open last year by beating Jasmine Paolini.

Sabalenka has now improved her head-to-head record over Swiatek to 5-8 and it was also her second consecutive victory over her. She will next lock horns with Coco Gauff, who upset home favorite Lois Boisson in straight sets.

Sabalenka and Gauff have met 10 times with both winning five matches each. While Sabalenka has made it to her first final in the tournament, Gauff was the finalist in 2022, losing the match to Swiatek.

Iga Swiatek reveals what she plans to do next

Iga Swiatek will start preparing for the grass swing. She has won 22 singles titles in her career, none of them is a grass-court title. Last year she played only one tournament on grass; it was Wimbledon where she was defeated in the third round by Yulia Putintseva.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/WTA Insider)

Swiatek has never reached the final at SW19. Her best performance in the tournament came in 2023 when she reached the quarterfinals. But before starting her campaign on the grass swing, Swiatek revealed she doesn’t want to go to Poland and wants to start her training.

Now I will have a few days off, that’s for sure, although I have to see what the plan is with my coaches. Hopefully, we can have a great preseason for the grass-court swing because that part has always been very challenging for me, especially as it comes at a time when I really feel like being at home. The truth is, I don’t feel the need to be home right now, so maybe I’ll go to a place in Europe to train.

Iga Swiatek said at the press conference

Swiatek’s 26-match win tally at the Roland Garros made her the fifth player in the Open Era to record 25 or more consecutive wins in the tournament, joining the list that includes 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal, Chris Evert, Bjorn Borg, and Monica Seles. Her first title in clay-court Major came in 2020, which was also her first victory in a Grand Slam event.

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