Iga Swiatek Reveals the Reasons Behind Choosing Francisco Roig as Coach Ahead of Stuttgart

24-year-old Iga Swiatek is bidding for a resurgence on clay.

Iga Swiatek Reveals the Reasons Behind Choosing Francisco Roig as Coach Ahead of Stuttgart

Francisco Roig, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/nabald | 22)

In Short
  • Iga Swiatek has hired Francisco Roig as her new full-time coach ahead of the clay-court season.
  • Swiatek aims to improve her baseline game and decision-making with Roig's direct coaching style.
  • She will begin her clay-court campaign at the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, facing Laura Siegemund in the round of 16.

The women’s tennis world received a major shakeup ahead of the European clay-court swing, with reports confirming that four-time major champion Iga Swiatek has officially hired Francisco Roig as her new full-time coach.

After a rocky start to the 2026 season that saw her ranking slide from World No. 2 down to No. 4 following an uncharacteristic early exit in Miami, Swiatek recognized the immediate need for a fresh perspective.

Bringing in Roig, who famously spent nearly two decades in Rafael Nadal’s corner, signals a clear intent to reclaim her absolute dominance on the dirt and revamp her tactical approach in a rapidly shifting WTA landscape.

Speaking to reporters during media day at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Swiatek confirmed the move, detailing the swift but deliberate process of bringing the veteran Spanish coach onto her team after splitting with Wim Fissette just weeks prior.

You always need a bit of a leap of faith and just have to go boldly with your decision. I had certainly heard many positive things about Francisco.

According to Swiatek, that conversation with Nadal validated everything she was hoping to hear. Once she finally stepped onto the practice courts with Roig in Mallorca, the chemistry was immediate. She added:

I even had the chance to talk to Rafa about him and learn about his approach. Later, my conversation with Francisco confirmed everything. I felt we shared a positive vision-that he would be direct and honest about what’s working and what isn’t, and that he’d have clear goals for what needs to be improved. So, when we finally got on court at Rafa’s Academy, I had the chance to see if his perspective was aligned with mine. And it really was…I feel like this is a path that can move me forward.

She was looking for a coach who wouldn’t sugarcoat the glaring issues, someone who would be direct and honest about what was working and what was falling apart under pressure. The initial phone calls were promising, but seeing Roig’s coaching cues and direct style in person sealed the deal.

Iga Swiatek reveals early impressions on working with Francisco Roig

So, what exactly does the former World No. 1 need to fix? For Iga Swiatek and Francisco Roig, the immediate focus isn’t on reinventing her lethal forehand, but rather untangling the tension that has crept into her baseline game.

I think at the start, we summarized what I wanted to change and what he saw as needing adjustment. When we got on court, we mainly focused on a return to basics and finding more “looseness” (luz) on the court. He wanted me to play with a taller posture, so I’m not playing hunched over, tensed up, and “glued” to the ground, which can be very exhausting.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/iga archive)

During their first few days on the court together, Roig immediately pointed out some glaring physical habits. He noticed that Swiatek was playing hunched over, tensed up, and seemingly glued to the ground. That heavy, rigid posture was making her grinding baseline style exponentially more exhausting.

Beyond the biomechanics, Roig is hammering away at her shot selection. Swiatek admitted that her decision-making in the heat of a rally has been subpar lately.

The new duo is focusing heavily on the tactical geometry of the court, teaching her when to pull the trigger on a risky shot down the line versus when to stay cross-court and patiently build the point. As Swiatek noted, anyone can be consistent when just rallying down the middle; the real separator is knowing exactly when to shift gears under pressure.

The immediate future of Iga Swiatek on clay

While the 24-year-old is preaching patience, noting that these mechanical and tactical tweaks might take a month or two to fully “click,” the tennis world won’t have to wait long to see the Roig partnership in action.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/United Cup)

Iga Swiatek is set to kick off her highly anticipated clay-court campaign this Wednesday at the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart. As the No. 3 seed, she enjoyed a first-round bye and will open her tournament against German veteran and 2017 Stuttgart champion Laura Siegemund in the round of 16.

For a player looking to find her footing and test out new coaching cues, the Porsche Arena is a familiar sanctuary. Swiatek is a two-time champion at this event, and there is no better soil for her to plant the seeds of this new chapter. If Roig can successfully unlock that missing “looseness,” the rest of the tour is going to have a massive problem on their hands as the road to Roland Garros begins.

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