Iga Swiatek has ended her 2026 season early after withdrawing from the Ningbo Open, a move that eliminated her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals. The six-time Grand Slam champion confirmed the decision on social media, describing the year as one of the most demanding of her career, with numerous challenges and changes.
Swiatek’s season has been marked by inconsistency, coaching shifts, and injury troubles. After parting ways with Wim Fissette, she brought in Francisco Roig, who previously worked with Emma Raducanu, in an effort to regain form. The highlight came in August when she won her 11th WTA 1000 title at the Canadian Open in Toronto, defeating Marta Kostyuk, Elina Svitolina, and Elena Rybakina on the way to the trophy.
However, since that victory, Swiatek has struggled to maintain momentum. She suffered defeats to Elise Mertens, Maja Chwalinska, and Qinwen Zheng. Her withdrawal from Ningbo confirmed the end of her campaign for 2026, which she described as full of lessons learned.
Rennae Stubbs, a former world number one doubles player and current coach of Serena Williams, spoke on her podcast about areas where Swiatek could improve her game. Stubbs suggested Swiatek needs to add more variety, particularly by reintroducing shots like the drop shot and high balls, which the Pole used more frequently as a junior.
“I’d like to see her hit a few more high balls,” Stubbs said on The Rennae Stubbs Podcast. “I would like her to know that she can change the pace of her ball more. Even Jess Pegula hits a flat ball, but she will throw in a moon ball every now and again. Jess will throw in a slice forehand or backhand.”
Stubbs pointed out that Swiatek rarely uses slice backhands and struggles in the service line area, citing grip problems that prevent her from playing ‘feel shots’. She contrasted this with players like Maja Chwalinska, who uses a variety of shots including high balls and ‘junk’ shots to disrupt opponents.
“You have to be able to go to game plan B, C, D or E,” Stubbs added. “And if you are game plan A, like Sabalenka’s, is not working, you are going to lose.”
The former doubles champion also referenced Novak Djokovic as an example of a player who changes pace effectively, mixing high balls and varying shot selection to keep opponents off balance.
Swiatek’s early exit from this season comes after a turbulent year marked by injury and a search for form. Despite the struggles, her Canadian Open triumph remains a bright spot. With her 2027 campaign on the horizon, she faces the challenge of adapting her game and regaining the consistency that brought her to the top of the sport.
According to Yahoo Sports.