What is being said about Iga Swiatek’s training session and warm-up just before she lost to Coco Gauff at the Madrid Open

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Iga Swiatek suffered another shock defeat as her 2025 WTA struggles continue.

The world number two was searching for her first tour-level title of the season at this year’s Madrid Open.

Swiatek battled past Alexandra Eala, Diana Shnaider, and Madison Keys in three-set thrillers on her way to the last four but couldn’t repeat the feat in her semi-final match.

Suffering her worst clay court defeat in 2,159 days, Swiatek lost to Coco Gauff, 1-6, 1-6, in just 64 minutes.

Such a heavy defeat has gotten the tennis world talking, as one former WTA star now reveals what she heard happened with Swiatek during the warm-up.

Annabel Croft says there was ‘a lot of stress’ with Iga Swiatek and her team before Coco Gauff defeat

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, former British star Annabel Croft revealed what she heard happened before Swiatek and Gauff’s semi-final match.

“We have been hearing that even in the practice session there was a lot of stress with her team and she was particularly talking about her forehand,” she said.

“Even early on in the match today we heard that she was stressing even in the warm-up. Clearly her mind was not calm going into this match, a lot of stress.”

Croft gave her verdict on Swiatek’s forehand and explained why, when things start to go wrong, the shot becomes ‘horrible’.

“Also when you think about that forehand, when it is working, it is spectacular,” she said.

“It is a slightly odd-looking shot, it has a bent elbow, and she accelerates up the back of the ball.

“She hits with a lot of rotation and spin, and when it goes crosscourt, it reminds me of [Jannik] Sinner’s forehand, but when it goes off, it is horrible.

• Iga Swiatek’s forehand unforced errors – 21
• Coco Gauff’s forehand unforced errors – 4

“She leaks errors and then she starts to lose confidence, and particularly here in Madrid, where the conditions are so tricky, as we have said from day one. If you have no confidence in a shot and don’t commit to it, oh my goodness, then the confidence will unravel even more.

“Maybe she will start to feel confident when she gets away from here and back to the practice court.”

Former doubles star Colin Fleming weighed in, sharing his thoughts on Swiatek’s relationship with coach Wim Fissette.

“Working with [Wim] Fisette, if her forehand is not there and maybe she is not getting the right message from what is still a relatively new partnership, the frustration has obviously spilled onto the match court,” he said.

“It was unbelievable for a player of that level, she almost looked like she wanted off the court in the second set. It just happened so quickly and was such a shocking performance, there is a lot to figure out in that team.”

Iga Swiatek’s remarkable 2025 WTA record continues with loss to Coco Gauff in Madrid

Despite having, by her standards, a disappointing season so far, Swiatek has yet to lose a match before the quarterfinal stage in 2025.

The Pole has reached the last eight of all seven tournaments she’s played this year, but hasn’t been able to qualify for a final.

She came closest to reaching a final in Melbourne when Swiatek lost to Madison Keys in a third-set tiebreaker, having failed to convert a match point.

Swiatek will, of course, be frustrated not to have performed better in 2025 than she has to date, but her consistency hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The 23-year-old has accumulated the fourth most points of any player on the WTA Tour across the early stages of the season.

• 1. Aryna Sabalenka – 4,555 points
• 2. Madison Keys – 3,284 points
• 3. Mirra Andreeva – 2,840 points
• 4. Iga Swiatek – 2,813 points
• 5. Jessica Pegula – 2,483 points

Sensationalists suggesting she could be on her way out of the top ten may need to think again, as the five-time Major champion continues to pick up points.

In fact, Swiatek’s tally of 2,813 points bests any player on the ATP Tour in 2025, with Carlos Alcaraz currently sitting on 2,740.

Only time will tell if Swiatek can turn things around and start picking up titles once again, but it certainly doesn’t look like she’ll be leaving the top ten any time soon.

Swiatek is scheduled to return to action at the Italian Open, where she will look to defend her title, on Monday, May 5.