Iga Swiatek defeated Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, in the first round of Wimbledon.
The last time Swiatek played a match on Centre Court, she clinched her first Wimbledon title with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win over Amanda Anisimova.
Her return to Centre Court wasn’t quite so comfortable, as the Pole was pushed all the way by Townsend, dropping her first set at Wimbledon in 724 days.
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Having dropped a set in her opener, Swiatek must now do something she’s never done before if she is to retain her Wimbledon title.
Iga Swiatek must now win a Grand Slam after dropping a set in her opening match for the first time in her career
Swiatek is a six-time Grand Slam champion, winning titles in Paris, London, and New York.
Iga Swiatek’s Grand Slam wins (6)
- 2020 French Open
- 2022 French Open
- 2022 US Open
- 2023 French Open
- 2024 French Open
- 2025 Wimbledon
In all six of her Grand Slam triumphs, Swiatek began her campaigns with straight-set victories.
Iga Swiatek’s opening matches of her Grand Slam wins
| Grand Slam | Opponent | Score | Sets dropped | Games dropped |
| 2020 French Open | Marketa Vondrousova | 6-1, 6-2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2022 French Open | Lesia Tsurenko | 6-2, 6-0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 US Open | Jasmine Paolini | 6-3, 6-0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2023 French Open | Cristina Bucsa | 6-4, 6-0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 French Open | Leolia Jeanjean | 6-1, 6-2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2025 Wimbledon | Polina Kudermetova | 7-5, 6-1 | 0 | 6 |
In fact, Swiatek only dropped more than four games in the opening matches of her Grand Slam-winning campaigns once, at Wimbledon 12 months ago.
So, if she is to win her seventh Grand Slam at the All England Club this summer, she will need to do so having dropped a set in her opener, for the first time in her career.
On the surface, this may seem like an obscure stat without much relevance, but the reality tells the true story of Swiatek’s decline.
At her best, the 25-year-old was unplayable, breezing past lower-ranked opponents en route to Grand Slam glory.
But in 2026, Swiatek doesn’t have that same edge over the competition.
The days of Swiatek’s ‘bakery’ are over, and she rarely hands out ‘bagels and breadsticks’ (6-0 and 6-1 sets) anymore.
Swiatek is no longer the dominant force in women’s tennis, and that becomes more evident with each match that passes.
However, as the saying goes, ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’.
Swiatek is full of class, and combining that with the grit and determination she has always shown, you would be foolish to count her out.
Even when she’s not at her best, Swiatek can cause problems for anyone on tour.
She may need to scrap harder than she did two or three years ago, but if she can get a few match wins under her belt, who knows what she might be able to achieve.
Why did Iga Swiatek struggle so much against Taylor Townsend?
The biggest problem area for Swiatek against Townsend was her serve.
She hit a remarkable nine double faults in total, many of which came in quick succession.
Townsend noticed Swiatek struggling and capitalised effectively, stepping well inside the baseline on first and second serve returns.
The risky strategy backfired at times, but the extra pressure applied to Swiatek certainly contributed to her season-high (also recorded nine in Bad Homburg vs Emma Navarro) double-fault tally.
If Swiatek is to become a genuine contender for the Wimbledon title, she must serve better than she did in the first round.
Against a higher-quality opponent, Swiatek’s serving struggles may have seen her exit the competition at the first time of asking.
She may well be tested in her next match, as she prepares to take on the former Wimbledon finalist, Karolina Pliskova.
While Swiatek has only won one match on grass this year, Pliskova has won six and will feel confident heading into their fourth career meeting.
Pliskova may have lost all three matches they’ve played, but the circumstances are very different this time around, and she will surely fancy her chances of picking up the win.
Swiatek and Pliskova will play their second-round match on Thursday, July 2, with the winner advancing to take on Alex Eala, Renata Zarazua, Serena Williams, or Maya Joint in round three.
