Iga Swiatek Confident Despite Consecutive Losses Ahead of Australian Open

Posted : 12 January 2026

Iga Swiatek has reassured fans that “everything is fine” despite losing two consecutive matches leading up to the Australian Open. The world No. 2 fell 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in the United Cup final in Sydney, following a 6-4, 6-2 semifinal loss to Coco Gauff. Swiatek’s struggles included seven consecutive games lost to Bencic, highlighted by a rare 6-0 set, leaving the six-time Grand Slam champion visibly frustrated.

These consecutive losses are unusual for Swiatek, who last suffered back-to-back defeats at the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November and prior to that in 2021. After the final, which Poland won 2-1 thanks to Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski’s mixed doubles victory, Swiatek acknowledged her physical fatigue but remained confident about her recovery. “Just super sore. I guess the first tournament of the year takes a different toll on the body,” she said, noting the energy demands of team events and the importance of balancing them with recovery.

Swiatek admitted that her performance against Bencic was affected by fatigue. “I lost intensity, and my movement and precision weren’t what they should have been,” she said, referencing her 36 unforced errors compared to Bencic’s 10. Despite these setbacks, she emphasized the need to work on technical elements before the Australian Open, which begins this Sunday at Melbourne Park. The Grand Slam remains the only major title she has yet to win, having reached the semifinals twice, including a loss to Madison Keys in 2025.

In other news, Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk defended her decision to address the situation in her homeland during the trophy presentation at a pre-Australian Open event in Brisbane. After losing in straight sets to Aryna Sabalenka, Kostyuk did not shake hands with the top-ranked Belarusian, a stance shared by many Ukrainian players following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I play every day with a pain in my heart, knowing thousands of people lack basic necessities,” the 23-year-old said, visibly emotional.

Kostyuk thanked all her opponents for the week’s matches, while Sabalenka acknowledged her achievement on court. Despite some criticism on social media, Kostyuk explained that highlighting Ukraine’s plight was a conscious choice. Both players are set to compete at the Australian Open, where Sabalenka is considered one of the favorites to claim her third title in four years.

Iga Swiatek Confident Despite Consecutive Losses Ahead of Australian Open

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