Iga Swiatek will miss Poland’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tie against Ukraine.
Continuing her search for a new coach, Swiatek withdrew from Poland’s Billie Jean King Cup squad.
In a video posted on the ‘Trzeci Serwis‘ Facebook page, former Polish player Lech Sidor claimed fans were returning and re-selling their tickets ‘en masse’, after hearing the six-time Grand Slam champion would miss the tie.
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The Polish Tennis Association have now responded to Sidor’s claim in a fresh statement.
Polish Tennis Association deny claims that Iga Swiatek’s withdrawal prompted ticket returns
As reported by ‘Interia Sport‘, the Polish Tennis Association released the following statement.
“The statement that ‘people are en masse returning tickets’ for the Poland-Ukraine match in the Billie Jean King Cup is untrue,” they said.
“According to information provided by the distributor, there has been one such request in the last week.
“We are also not observing increased activity in ticket resale. We are surprised by the lack of faith in the attitude and commitment of Polish fans.
“Last year’s Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers tournament in Radom clearly showed that, regardless of the circumstances or the line-up, the national team can count on strong support and genuine fan support.
“Such statements are also unfair to the players who come to Gliwice to represent Poland and deserve the full support of their fans and respect for their work and commitment.
“As the Polish Tennis Association, we appreciate all initiatives that popularize tennis, such as the ‘Trzeci Serwis’ channel, but we encourage building their popularity based on reliable and verified information.”
According to the Polish Tennis Association, Swiatek’s withdrawal has had no real impact on ticket returns or re-sales.
However, her withdrawal has significantly weakened the Polish team.
Poland must beat Ukraine to qualify for this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, China, but will be without a single top-50 player.
Team Poland
- Magda Linette (WTA #57)
- Maja Chwalinska (WTA #133)
- Linda Klimovicova (WTA #154)
- Katarzyna Kawa (WTA #132)
Ukraine, on the other hand, will travel to Poland with the in-form Elina Svitolina and top-30 player Marta Kostyuk.
Team Ukraine
- Elina Svitolina (WTA #7)
- Marta Kostyuk (WTA #27)
- Oleksandra Oliynykova (WTA #71)
- Lyudmyla Kichenok (WTA #26 doubles)
- Nadiia Kichenok (WTA #62 doubles)
Semi-finalists last year, Ukraine will be determined to return to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in 2026 and go all the way.
Poland failed to make the final eight in 2025, and are at risk of missing out once again.
For all the success Swiatek has enjoyed on tour, the 24-year-old has yet to win the Billie Jean King Cup title with Poland, and with her withdrawal, she may now have to wait another year…
But there’s still a chance that Magda Linette and Co. pull off the upset in Gliwice.
Poland will play Ukraine for a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Friday, April 10.
Iga Swiatek closes in on coaching appointment
Swiatek made the difficult decision to pull out of Poland vs Ukraine as she works her way through a tricky period.
After her second-round defeat in Miami, Swiatek split from coach Wim Fissette.
Caroline Wozniacki’s father, Piotr Wozniacki, emerged as the early favourite to replace Fissette, but quickly ruled himself out of contention.
Several other names have been suggested, including Katie Boulter’s coach, Michael Joyce, but one candidate is now leading the race.
As suggested by the six-time major champion’s junior coach, Swiatek could hire Francisco Roig.
Roig was last seen on the WTA Tour with Emma Raducanu, working with the Briton for six months before his departure earlier this year.
He is better known, though, for his time alongside Rafael Nadal.
Roig was a key member of Nadal’s team, helping his countryman win countless Grand Slam titles.
If Swiatek does announce Roig as her new coach, she’ll be hoping that he can guide her to similar success.
It’s unclear if and when Swiatek will make the announcement, but the chances are that she will do so before her next WTA event, the Stuttgart Open.
The 2026 Stuttgart Open begins on Monday, April 13.
