After entering the clay swing with renewed confidence following a coaching change, Iga Swiatek suffered yet another early exit in the Madrid Open when she was forced to retire in the third set against Ann Li.
The former World No. 1, who did not look like her usual self throughout the match, did well to come back from a set down. However, her condition worsened early in the third set, where she immediately went down a break. That proved to be the turning point. After having her vitals checked by the on-court doctor, Swiatek made the decision to pull the plug on her Madrid campaign, concluding that she could not continue.
Swiatek Reveals Illness Behind Retirement
It marked just the third mid-match retirement of her career. The issue appeared to be illness, widely speculated to be food poisoning, as several players in Madrid reportedly dealt with similar symptoms, leading to multiple withdrawals and retirements.
Swiatek has since addressed what happened during the match as she now turns her focus toward a potential return at the Italian Open.
“What can I say? It was a real rough day. It stings not having full control over my performance or being in charge of every decision. Today is a bit better and I’ll take the next day or two to recover fully. Then we’ll push forward with more hard work. I’m pretty excited for the next one in Rome.”
A Difficult Start to 2026
Despite this untimely setback, Swiatek’s struggles in 2026 extend far beyond Madrid. She is yet to win a title this season and has endured a string of disappointing results. Those results have impacted her ranking as well. After starting the year as World No. 2, she is now battling just to remain inside the top four.
Her inconsistent form also led to an earlier-than-expected split with coach Wim Fissette. Many expected the transition to clay, historically Swiatek’s strongest surface, to reignite her season. The addition of Francisco Roig to her team only strengthened that belief. However, results on the court have not followed. Even before Madrid, she exited in the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and, remarkably, is still searching for her first Top 10 win of the year.
The final hope for Swiatek and her team may lie at the French Open. Historically, the conditions in Paris have brought out the very best in her game. But after signs of regression in 2025 and a difficult start to 2026, the former World No. 1 now looks far from the dominant force she was just a couple of seasons ago.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
