Breaking: World No. 2 Iga Swiatek Stuns in Rome Upset; Collin’s Victory Raises Questions on French Open Preparation 💥
In a shocking turn of events, defending French Open champion and world No. 2, Iga Swiatek, crashed out of the Italian Open in the second round, falling victim to Danielle Collins in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5. The Polish star had a slow start to her clay-court swing, and today’s unexpected defeat in Rome has raised doubts about her preparation for her title defense at the upcoming French Open. Following Swiatek’s exit, former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli predicted that the 21-year-old might consider playing another tournament before Roland Garros to ramp up her match play, as Novak Djokovic has done in Geneva. With just two weeks left until the French Open, Swiatek has two possible tournaments to choose from: WTA 500 Strasbourg or WTA 250 Rabat, with both events finishing on May 24th. Stay tuned for updates on Swiatek’s decision and find out how the rest of the tour Reacts to this surprising early exit. 🎾🇵🇱🇺🇸
Breaking: No. 2 Iga Swiatek Out of Italian Open; Bartoli Reflects on Path Ahead
In a surprising turn of events, world No. 2 and reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek was ousted from the Italian Open in the second round following a straight-sets defeat to Danielle Collins. The American stormed to a 6-1, 7-5 victory, denying Swiatek her chance to turn around a shaky clay-court season.
The Rare Second-Round Exit
Swiatek, who reached the final of last year’s Italian Open, found herself in unfamiliar territory. The Pole had her work cut out in the first set, with Collins dictating terms and winning it 6-1. Although Swiatek mounted a valiant comeback in the second, it wasn’t enough to prevent her earliest exit from this tournament since 2019.
🎥 Watch Collins’ stunning form in her win over Swiatek [Video]
A Struggling Clay-Court Swing
This result adds to Swiatek’s woes on clay this year. She bowed out in the quarterfinals of Stuttgart and suffered a heavy defeat to Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open semis. With these recent results, Swiatek’s chance to defend her Roland Garros title seems to be hanging by a thread.
Marion Bartoli Weighs In
Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli shared her thoughts on Swiatek’s situation:
"Iga has had a tough clay swing," Bartoli said. "It’s going to be a tricky situation leading up to Roland Garros. She’ll have to sit down with her team and decide if they’ll opt for practice or competition in those last 10 days."
📸 Photo: Swiatek and Collins during their match [Credit: Dan Istitene/Getty Images]
📸 Photo: Danielle Collins celebrates her upset win [Credit: Dan Istitene/Getty Images]
The Road to Roland Garros
Here are the tournaments Swiatek could consider to fine-tune her game ahead of Roland Garros:
-
WTA 500 – Strasbourg (May 18-24): This is the higher-ranked option between the two, with last year’s champion being Madison Keys.
- WTA 250 – Rabat (May 19-24): A week after Strasbourg, this tournament could offer an additional opportunity for Swiatek to gain match practice.
FAQs
Q: Can Swiatek still defend her French Open title?
A: Mathematically, yes, but her recent form on clay makes it a considerable challenge.
Q: Why might Swiatek consider playing another tournament before Roland Garros?
A: To gain match practice and confidence ahead of the defense of her Grand Slam title.
Pro Tip: Match Practice Matters
As Djokovic showed, playing an extra tournament leading into a major can pay dividends. In his case, winning Madrid before Roland Garros in 2016 helped him secure the title.
📈 Did you know? Swiatek’s earliest exit from Rome since 2019 was in the first round in 2021, where she retired due to injury.
The Ball’s in Swiatek’s Court
Whether Swiatek chooses to play another tournament or trust her practice, one thing is certain – she’ll need to turn her clay-court fortunes around quickly ahead of Roland Garros.
What do you think Swiatek should do next? Let us know in the comments! Don’t forget to explore our Italian Open coverage and subscribe to our newsletter for more updates!