Nick Kyrgios’ former coach highlights Iga Swiatek’s ‘achilles heel’ that she must fix before French Open
Iga Świątek is undoubtedly one of the WTA’s top players, but her patented consistency has taken a hit this year.
She is without a title, a barren run that stretches back to May 2024, and has suffered shock exits in Stuttgart, Madrid and now Rome on her favoured surface.
So, ahead of her return to the French Open, where she remains the reigning champion, it was Nick Kyrgios’ former coach keen to offer some advice.
Iga Swiatek told to improve in one key area
Speaking on The Tennis podcast, Simon Rye was asked for his in-depth opinion on Swiatek’s fortunes ahead of Roland Garros.
He did not hold back. The coach claimed: ‘Where I think Iga Swiatek’s sitting with Roland Garros just around the corner… What I think is, if I’m in the camp there, I’m emphasising that you are the envy of every other player when you walk into the gates at Roland Garros.
‘You’re a four-time Roland Garros champion, a five-time major winner.’
He then delved a bit deeper: ‘Now taking a bit of a deeper look, tracking back. We know one of the things that troubles Iga: if you can starve Iga of time and really play with weapons up in the court and threaten her with weapons. It’s not easy for her. She prefers a little more time on the ball, which is why clay is her preferred surface.
‘If there is an Achilles heel in her game, it’s her second serve. It’s not as easy to take advantage of the second serve on clay. That’s where I would be focusing if I was in the camp.
‘Some concerns are on her second serve numbers. She’s lost lately to Gauff, to Ostapenko and to Collins. When she played Ostapenko in Stuttgart she won 39% of her second serve points. Against Gauff, 40% on her own second serve. When she played Collins, and this is the one that did concern me a little bit because Ostapenko can take the racket out of your hands at times, so can Gauff, but Collins, I wouldn’t have expected that to play out the way it did.
‘She won just 22% of her second serve points. Last year, she’s winning 55% over the year as a whole. This year as a whole she’s down in the mid-40s. Her second serve, we know it’s an Achilles heel for her, is now starting to be exposed more than we’ve seen previously.
‘This is one area where the competition are trying to pick her off. That’ll be where the coaching team are focusing.’
Iga Swiatek faces rankings drop ahead of Roland Garros
Following her tough run of form in 2025, Swiatek has dropped down the rankings to fourth, having previously occupied a top-two spot for the last three years.
That means that, despite being the defending champion and a four-time winner at the event, the 23-year-old will return to Paris as the fourth seed.
Rye is right in his recommendation for Swiatek, as her talent is clear for all to see.
A relentless force with a clean strike off the forehand and backhand, she needs reminding of that despite what recent form suggests.
After all, should she suffer another early exit in this upcoming Grand Slam, the 2,500 points she has to defend will inflict further pain on her WTA standing.
