Danielle Collins says what she thinks about Iga Swiatek’s start to 2026, ‘there’s certainly trouble in paradise’

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Iga Swiatek has not quite had the start to the 2026 season that she would have been hoping for.

Swiatek helped Poland win the United Cup for the first time after losing in the two previous finals.

While the Wimbledon champion was a key part of this team, it was far from perfect for Swiatek, who lost to Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic in singles matches.

This has highlighted a real issue for Swiatek, and now Danielle Collins, CoCo Vandeweghe and Brad Gilbert have given their verdict on the world number two’s start to the year.

Brad Gilbert, CoCo Vandeweghe and Danielle Collins comment on Iga Swiatek’s difficult start to 2026

Swiatek has goals to return to world number one this year, as well as achieving the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.

However, Gauff’s former coach Gilbert has pinpointed the forehand as a real issue in Swiatek’s game when she is put under pressure, highlighting the manner of some of her recent defeats.

Gilbert then encouraged her future opponents to watch footage of Swiatek so that they can exploit this same issue.

“Two different two matches, getting bagelled,” Gilbert said on The Big T Podcast. From Bencic and a fourth consecutive straight sets loss to Coco. The more I watch her, her forehand… That can be her best shot, but when she’s rushed, that shot can completely fall apart.

“The Bencic match, if I’m one of the ladies, I’m putting in that CD and watching that blueprint. If you go hard and fast there, there are a lot of opportunities.”

Former top 10 player Vandeweghe also expressed her concerns for Swiatek, “To me, coming into January, you’re supposed to be refreshed, re-energised. You’re already mentally frazzled?

“I hope nothing terrible is going on off the scenes that we don’t know about, but for anyone looking from the outside in, this is worrisome.”

Former finalist Collins, who is missing the Australian Open this year, also joined the conversation to discuss Swiatek’s recent form.

It is no secret that Collins and Swiatek are not the best of friends, and they have previously had some awkward interactions on court, including in the United Cup last year.

While she admitted that Swiatek was certainly in a difficult spell, Collins called her the best player in the world when she is feeling good.

“There’s certainly trouble in paradise for Iga right now, with losing back-to-back matches, which is a little bit uncharacteristic for the former world number one,” said Collins. “We don’t see her lose back-to-back quite often.

“Bencic played incredibly well, that match was just blueprint tennis of how anyone would want to play against Iga. The match against Coco, I mean Coco is playing really well. It’s good news for Coco fans, because she’s ripping that forehand, there’s been visible improvement of that side.

“But still, not the type of tennis I think Iga is capable of playing in that matchup, so it’s going to be interesting to see going into AO, how she is going to recover mentally from this. When she is focused and feeling good, she’s the number one player in the world.”

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Iga Swiatek’s potential route to the Australian Open title

Swiatek is now turning her attention to the Australian Open, which is the only Grand Slam tournament she is yet to win.

The world number two will begin her bid to complete the Career Slam against qualifier Yue Yuan, who Swiatek beat emphatically at the China Open last year.

Some of the potential threats to Swiatek in her half of the draw include Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina and two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka.

Swiatek’s best result at the Australian Open is reaching the semifinals, which she achieved in both 2022 and 2025.

The Australian Open main draw gets underway on Sunday, January 18.