Wim Fissette Lifts Lid on Iga Swiatek Split: “You Have to Accept That”

Iga Swiatek parted ways with Wim Fissette after her shocking Miami Open exit and has now hired Rafael Nadal's long-time alternate coach Francisco Roig.

Wim Fissette Lifts Lid on Iga Swiatek Split: “You Have to Accept That”

Wim Fissette, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmy48 Photography)

In Short
  • Wim Fissette discusses the split from Iga Swiatek, emphasizing the high expectations in coaching elite athletes.
  • Swiatek's performance declined in early 2026, leading to her decision to part ways with Fissette after a disappointing Miami Open exit.
  • Swiatek continues her training at the Rafa Nadal Academy under new coach Francisco Roig, while her core team remains unchanged.

Nearly two weeks after the termination of Iga Swiatek and Wim Fissette‘s coaching partnership, the Belgian has opened up about his side of the story in an interview with the New York Times. Fissette, who has previously guided Kim Clijsters, Angelique Kerber, and Naomi Osaka to Grand Slam victories, joined Swiatek’s team in October 2024.

Though the initial months of their partnership were a bit difficult, Swiatek enjoyed a brilliant grass season, reaching her maiden grass-court final at the Bad Homburg Open and winning her sixth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. She secured two more titles later in the year in Cincinnati and Seoul.

However, the Pole had a troubling start to the 2026 season. Although Swiatek won the United Cup with Poland, the 24-year-old failed to move past the quarterfinals in any of the tournaments she played after that. She showed signs of deep frustration during her losses this year, and after facing a shocking opening round exit at the Miami Open, she parted ways with Fissette.

In her game, Swiatek showed several flaws in her serve. Swiatek later gave an interview about this situation, and she is now training at the Rafa Nadal Academy under her new coach, Francisco Roig. On the subject of this split, Fissette said:

There are some teams that can stay really calm under, let’s say, difficult conditions. Others feel like something needs to change. As in every sport, it’s always first the coach that has to go. At the highest level in sports, this is part of the job. You have to accept that.

Fissette further spoke about the huge expectations in this role. Swiatek had a phenomenal 2022 and 2023 seasons, where she finished off as year-end World No. 1. Although she dropped to year-end World No. 2 in 2024, it was still a fairly successful season for Swiatek, who clinched 5 titles, including all the big titles on clay. With a player like her, there will always be immense pressure to bring her back to the top of her game. Fissette added:

They were almost unbeatable for a few years. The expectations are going to be super high. Every loss will hurt extra. I was aware of the difficulties in this project. It was impossible to do better. But I was still really happy that I took the challenge and happy with what we achieved. Iga is such an extraordinary player and athlete.

Nonetheless, it was great to witness Fissette take on this challenge and help Swiatek unlock a new surface. It will be interesting to see where he goes now and if he can help another player win a Grand Slam. Fissette is the current captain of the Belgian Billie Jean King Cup team, a role he has held since 2023. He is now preparing to lead Belgium in their Qualifiers tie against the USA, scheduled for April 10–11, 2026, in Ostend, Belgium.

Wim Fissette on Iga Swiatek’s team members

Another aspect Wim Fissette focused on during this interview was Iga Swiatek‘s team. During the announcement of her coaching split on Instagram, Swiatek emphasized that the rest of her team remains unchanged.

Her other team members include psychologist Daria Abramowicz, physiotherapist and fitness coach Maciej Ryszczuk, and Tomasz Moczek. They have been a part of Swiatek’s team for a very long period. Fissette continued:

She has been working with the same people for a lot of years, and she’s been super successful for years. It’s normal that in, let’s say, challenging times, she kind of goes back to these people or maybe wants more from these people.

Iga Swiatek Wim Fissette Daria Abramowicz Maciej Ryszczuk
Iga Swiatek with her team after winning Wimbledon 2025 (image via X)

Swiatek’s psychologist has often faced significant backlash for her relationship with the tennis star. However, Swiatek has always defended Abramowicz amid criticism, and it seems unlikely that Abramowicz would leave the team anytime soon. Swiatek is now preparing for the clay swing under the guidance of Francisco Roig, who served as a long-time alternate coach of Rafael Nadal.

Nadal himself also supervised Swiatek’s training sessions at his academy in Mallorca. It will be interesting to see if Swiatek can once again dominate clay after having failed to win any titles on the surface last season.

Also Read: Kim Clijsters Believes Iga Swiatek’s Former Coach Could be a Good Match for Amanda Anisimova