Iga Swiatek suffered a shock defeat in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The WTA Tour star was looking to book her place in the Dubai semis for the third year running but came up short against her Russian opponent.
Swiatek lost to Mirra Andreeva in two sets, 3-6, 3-6, as she suffered a shocking defeat against the 17-year-old.
The Pole had looked dominant in her opening two matches at the Dubai Tennis Championships, dropping just seven games on her way to the quarter-finals.
In round one, Swiatek beat Victoria Azarenka, 6-0, 6-2, dismantling the two-time Grand Slam champion with ease.
Swiatek then took down Dayana Yastremska, 7-5, 6-0, securing her second bagel [6-0] set in as many matches.
It wasn’t to be against Andreeva, however, although it was an incident after the match that left fans concerned.
Tennis fans predict end to Iga Swiatek and Wim Fissette’s partnership after handshake rejection
Following her defeat to Andreeva, cameras caught Swiatek rejecting a handshake from her coach, Wim Fissette.
Fans took to X to share their thoughts on the incident, predicting a quick end to Swiatek and Fissette’s coaching relationship.
“This is not going to last,” said one fan.
“I’ve seen a strange vibe from Iga [Swiatek] since the beginning of the year, something is happening to her, something is growing with each week,” added another.
“Maybe if she loses a few times at the beginning of the tournament, she’ll change something or rather someone.”
“If I was Wim Fissette, I’d start getting those job applications ready,” suggested another tennis fan.
One fan questioned whether Fissette was at fault for the incident.
“I don’t understand why Wim wanted to high-five when it’s clear that Iga is angry/disappointed, etc,” they suggested.
“It’s clear that she’s not happy with the lost match.”
Swiatek may have added fuel to the fire with her post-match comments, as she revealed that she plans to hold ‘talks’ with her team.
“I’m not happy with the results, I feel like I underperformed,” she said.
“For sure, I need to talk to my team a bit and plan the next weeks a bit differently because I haven’t had much time to practice before these tournaments.
“I felt that my tennis, there were some things missing that should’ve been there.”
Swiatek had won her one previous meeting with Andreeva in Cincinnati last year but couldn’t repeat the feat in Dubai this time around.
How long have Iga Swiatek and Wim Fissette been working together?
Belgian coach Fissette joined Swiatek’s coaching team in October last year, after she split with her previous coach, Tomas Wiktorowski.
Fissette joined the Pole’s team with serious pedigree, having helped several other WTA stars achieve Grand Slam success.
| Player coached | Years coached | Notable achievement |
| Kim Clijsters | 2009-2011 | W – 2009 US Open, 2010 US Open, 2010 WTA Tour Finals |
| Sabine Lisicki | 2013 | F – 2013 Wimbledon |
| Simona Halep | 2014 | F – 2014 French Open |
| Victoria Azarenka | 2015-2016 | W – 2016 Indian Wells, 2016 Miami Open |
| Petra Kvitova | 2016 | – |
| Sara Errani | 2016 | – |
| Johanna Konta | 2016-2017 | W – 2017 Miami Open |
| Angelique Kerber | 2017-2018 | W – 2018 Wimbledon |
| Victoria Azarenka | 2018-2020 | – |
| Naomi Osaka | 2020-2022 | W – 2020 US Open, 2021 Australian Open |
| Qinwen Zheng | 2023 | – |
| Naomi Osaka | 2023-2024 | – |
Having won countless titles as a coach, Swiatek would likely have expected to add to her trophy tally with Fissette in charge.
That hasn’t been the case, however, as the Pole has failed to win a WTA title since Fissette was brought on board late last year.
- 2024 WTA Finals – Lost in RR
- 2025 Australian Open – Lost in SF
- 2025 Qatar Open – Lost in SF
- 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships – Lost in QF
Swiatek lost to Madison Keys in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, failing to convert a match point against the eventual champion.
It was the closest the 23-year-old has come to reaching a final since Fissette joined her team, narrowly missing out on a place in Melbourne’s biggest match.
What’s next for Iga Swiatek after shock loss to Mirra Andreeva in Dubai?
The world number two will look to put two tough defeats in the Middle East behind her as she prepares for the ‘Sunshine Double’ tournaments next month.
Indian Wells and Miami have proved happy hunting grounds for Swiatek over recent years, winning three of her ten WTA 1000 titles at the events.
- 2022 – Won Indian Wells
- 2022 – Won Miami Open
- 2024 – Won Indian Wells
Swiatek will head to California next month as the defending champion, having taken down Maria Sakkari in last year’s final to lift the trophy.
She’ll no doubt hope for more of the same this time when the 2025 Indian Wells tournament begins on March 3.
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