Iga Swiatek has had one area of her game criticised on the eve of her Wimbledon semi-final.
Lindsay Davenport was the pundit who sought to question the former world number one, pointing out the crucial change that she has made which hasn’t paid dividends just yet.
Many might argue this case, given how the 24-year-old is currently enjoying her best-ever run at the All-England Club.
However, before this event, it had been a troublesome year for Iga Swiatek, without a title in over 12 months and having failed to defend the French Open, a tournament she had previously been almost guaranteed each year.
Davenport did not hold back in her assessment, as Jim Courier also chimed in to question the decision made.
Iga Swiatek told the key area of her game that needs improving
Speaking on Tennis Channel Live, it was Swiatek’s serve that they put under the microscope.
Davenport began by stating: “I’m not sure I’m buying the kind of half take-back that started at the end of the 23 season.”
Courier then added: “It’s what Alcaraz went away from. Alcaraz used to have something a little bit more like this and now has a long fluid take-back.”
What puzzled the Billie Jean King Cup captain was the decision to change a winning formula, continuing: ‘She had the long fluid take back. Won the WTA Championships and then showed up in Australia in January of 24 with the abbreviated motion.”
Courier then questioned: “Not injury related, right? Because Novak did that when he was coming back from the elbow issue for a little bit at a time. Would you say that you’ve seen an improvement in the serve?”
Davenport’s final stance on the matter was steadfast: “No, that’s it hasn’t paid off, in terms of service numbers. She was working with a different coach at the time, Tomasz Wiktorowski, and they said it was a long-term plan. He was gone after about nine months of that plan.
“No, I mean, they had worked together for many years, but then after the US Open that ended. So I don’t know, you know, Wim Fisette talked openly, he just hasn’t had any off time with Swiatek to make any real meaningful changes.”
Iga Swiatek needs time to adjust with her new coach
Although Wim Fisette is not really a new coach for Swiatek, having joined up with her in November of last year, the two have rarely had the time to actually make the key changes necessary to transform her game.
After all, the tennis calendar is notoriously relentless, with Swiatek complaining about the schedule on many occasions.
Not only does it offer no rest, but it also provides almost no time for training, forcing players to compete in tournament after tournament all year long.
The five-time Grand Slam champion needs a solid training block with Fisette so he can take what he has learned from the last few months of working with her and start to implement the real changes that should make her a champion once again.
This Wimbledon performance already highlights just how much progression Swiatek could make under his guidance.
