Iga Swiatek‘s unexpected defeat at the US Open invited several members of the tennis community to express doubts about her form. While the discussion was still not over, her withdrawal from the China Open added another major concern. Her number 1 position is now in danger. While there’s a slight gap between her and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka’s ranking points, the Polish tennis pro’s compatriot highlighted pointers that made the World No.1’s situation seem even more vulnerable. There are some promising points out there.

Former tennis player Joanna Sakowicz-Kostecka believes Swiatek is in an “attempt to maintain power” stage of her career. Sakowicz-Kostecka pointed out that Świątek’s rivals have studied her game closely. They are starting to find ways to expose her vulnerabilities. “The rivals have learned how to work Iga out, they have found a way to weaken her,” Sakowicz-Kostecka explained in an interview. This notable shift among her competitors has made it more difficult for Świątek to dominate in the same way she did in 2022. This was the year when she was almost next to unbeatable.

Although Swiatek is still holding the world no.1 spot, Sakowicz-Kostecka pointed out that her current challenge is not just about maintaining her form but finding new ways to dominate. “Iga must discover new possibilities. Respond to this challenge, find new tools that will allow her to ‘run away’ from her rivals,” she said.

Sakowicz-Kostecka acknowledges that Swiatek’s powerful and effective style exists with its own limitations. “There are certain limits resulting from the DNA of a tennis player,” she observed.

But she believes Swiatek still has plenty of room for growth and improvement, and the Polish star will need to rise to this challenge in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Recently, Swiatek faced unexpected setbacks that clearly justify this point. Her shocking exit from the US Open quarterfinals against Jessica Pegula in straight sets trembled the fans. Adding more weight to this loss, the World No.1 announced her withdrawal from the China Open, stating a personal aspect as the reason.

“Due to personal matters, I’m forced to withdraw from the China Open in Beijing. I’m very sorry as I had an amazing time playing and winning this tournament last year and was really looking forward to being back there,” she said, in her announcement.

This withdrawal could affect her ranking, considering the loss of 1,000 points from not defending her title. While her recent setbacks may seem concerning, they are likely just part of the adjustment period as she paves her way through this new stage of her career. However, despite the concerns, her PR manager came forward to drop a fine ray of hope.

Iga Swiatek’s PR manager drops a massive comeback update

Iga Swiatek’s PR manager Paula Wolecka recently confirmed that the Polish WTA star plans to return to action at the Wuhan Open on October 7. After that, she is expected to compete in the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo before concluding her season at the prestigious WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Although Polish journalists pressed for more information regarding the personal issues that recently caused Swiatek to withdraw from tournaments, her team declined to provide further details. Still, this update offers hope to her supporters who are eager to see her back on the court.

There’s also a chance that Swiatek might join Team Poland for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. Poland’s captain, Dawid Celt, has already called up Magdalena Frech, Magda Linette, Maja Chwalinska, and Katarzyna Kawa, leaving one spot open. Swiatek’s inclusion could give Poland a major boost at the event, increasing their chances of performing well in the competition.

However, fans are still cautious about whether she will actually compete, mainly because of her recent last-minute withdrawals. With two weeks left until Wuhan, uncertainty still hangs around her schedule.

However, Swiatek is still on track to make history despite the challenges. She has now spent 122 weeks as the top-ranked WTA player. This feat surpassed Ashleigh Barty on the all-time list. Iga Swiatek currently holds the seventh position right behind tennis legend Monica Seles. Notably, Seles held the No. 1 spot for 178 weeks. with her staying away from the scene, it is yet to be seen if she finds her way back soon.