The WTA community is now looking forward to heading towards Riyadh. Iga Swiatek, after splitting with her ex-coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, is staying out of competition for now. Despite this, the Pole recently completed a massive 50-week stint as the world No. 1. While discussions are revolving around her current situation, with several renowned personalities stepping forward to offer their perspectives, Poland’s president also saw this as a topic he could take part in.

Recently, former Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski suggested that Swiatek’s Olympic performance might have been a turning point in her partnership with Wiktorowski. “The fundamental moment that happened this year was the Olympic Games,” Kwaśniewski said during an appearance on Polsat Sport Talk. “Iga went there as a hundred percent favorite, focused on the gold medal. She played on her courts, where she had been winning a few weeks earlier, and then there was this psychological defeat in the semi-final… She did not put up a fight, they were distracted, something happened,” he added, explaining how all the misery around her was a result of the unexpected defeat at Roland Garros.

Competing on the familiar Roland Garros clay courts, Iga Swiatek faced China’s Zheng Qinwen in the semi-finals. Although she had a strong 6-0 career record against Zheng, she suffered a staggering defeat as the Chinese rival uncovered her dominance. She struggled in the hot and humid conditions, committing 36 unforced errors and failing to settle into her usual rhythm. “I think her mental state from that moment on is the effect of the Olympic disappointment,” Kwaśniewski added, highlighting how the loss deeply affected her confidence and focus.

Although things remained calm for a while, Iga Swiatek later announced a split from her coach after a highly successful three-year collaboration. Wiktorowski helped Swiatek achieve remarkable success, which included guiding her to four additional Grand Slam titles since joining the team in 2022. Three consecutive French Open victories were part of these numbers and solidified her reputation as the “queen of clay.” She also became the first Polish player to reach the world No. 1 ranking in April 2022, a position that allowed her to create two massive stints of 75 weeks and 50 weeks.

While Swiatek went on to win the bronze medal, Kwaśniewski believes the semi-final defeat left a lasting mark on her mindset. “The change of coach occurred against this background,” he explained, in the process of linking the coaching split to the emotional conclusion of her Olympic loss. However, this isn’t the only theory that connects with her situation. Many think that her psychologist played the role of a catalyst in her split with her coach.

Psychologist’s role in Swiatek’s team sparks tension with ex-coach Wiktorowski

Recent reports from the Polish publication sportowy24.pl suggested that Iga Swiatek’s psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, played a major role in the tennis star’s split with coach Wiktorowski. Abramowicz was not just focusing on Swiatek’s mental preparation but was also involved in her physical training and even provided in-match coaching on several techniques. This overlapping of roles, according to the reports, created friction with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski and made him uncomfortable. The tension peaked during the US Open, where the ex-coach decided he could no longer continue under such circumstances and left the team.

Several experts have weighed in on the situation, believing Abramowicz’s role may have contributed to Wiktorowski’s sudden departure. Jan Tomaszewski, a Polish football legend, openly questioned Abramowicz’s involvement in Swiatek’s team. “I agree 100 percent; something is wrong here,” Tomaszewski said, suggesting that the psychologist’s increasing influence might have disrupted the traditional coach-player relationship. He was one of the first to speculate that the tension between Abramowicz and Wiktorowski could have led to the eventual split.

Polish tennis commentator Tomasz Wolfke also raised concerns about Abramowicz’s unique position in Swiatek’s team. In an interview with Interia, Wolfke said that Abramowicz’s role seemed more significant compared to other psychologists. “How much did Wiktorowski have to put his ears to the ground in this extremely unique situation, in which it is clearly visible that Daria Abramovich is the eminence grise of this team?” Wolfke questioned, hinting that this unconventional setup might have created too much strain for the coach to handle.