“Then We Head Towards Depression” – Iga Swiatek’s Ex-Coach Dissects the Unsettling Mental Toll Behind the World no.1’s Delayed Comeback

There is a famous saying, “Take care of your mind, your body will thank you.” Iga Swiatek’s constant struggle to cope with the hectic schedules perhaps reminds some of the same. Swiatek previously complained about how jam-packed tennis schedules make tennis “less fun” for the players. Although she loves taking part in multiple tournaments across the globe, at times she feels it’s “pretty exhausting.” We saw her withdraw her name from the Canadian Open and the China Open due to “fatigue” and personal reasons, respectively. What can be the real reason behind her prolonged absence? Does her childhood coach, Artur Szostaczko has any idea about this?

Well, Iga Swiatek was last seen in action in her QF match at the 2024 US Open. It has been almost close to one month since she last played her competitive match. Swiatek has already won 5 titles this season, and fans can’t wait to see her back in action. Addressing the same curiosity about her comeback and the possible reasons behind these withdrawals, Szotaczko said, “If the head doesn’t work, the body doesn’t work either, because it doesn’t feel confident. In such situations, everything irritates a person, they feel tired and unfortunately, then we head towards depression. When we are broken and dissatisfied, this is already a depressive reaction.“

During the same interview with ‘SPORT.PL’, the coach said, “I guess no one consciously wants to give up being number one. Not going to a big tournament and automatically giving up a thousand points? Iga didn’t report an injury, for me, it’s a classic mental breakdown.” He hinted that Iga Swiatek could now lack a bit of strength (both physically and mentally). So, he assumed that Swiatek needed this break to reset and come back stronger for the rest of the season. What else did he say in that interview?

Szotaczko even addressed, Iga Swiatek’s psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, during the interview. According to him, it’s time for the psychologist to show her knowledge and skills. “It is not a problem to say how phenomenal someone is when everything works for the player. I have said many times that Iga is extremely talented,” said Artur Szotaczko. Next up for Swiatek in the WTA 1000 event in Wuhan. The tournament is scheduled to start on October 7. With already Aryna Sabalenka breathing down the neck of the Polish superstar, it’s high time she gets back on track. Otherwise, her year-end-no. 1 dream will be under some real threat!

According to the Live Race To Riyadh, Iga Swiatek (8285) sits at the top spot with a very fine gap with Aryna Sabalenka (8091). Shortly after winning the 2024 US Open title, Aryna Sabalenka roared saying, “Another goal for sure is to try to become the world no.1 again.” She can now see the summit right in front of her eyes, but can she climb onto the top? Well, the answer lies in the hands of the Polish superstar. Swiatek’s absence from the Tour has now become the real talk of the town in the tennis world!

What do other tennis experts think about the real reasons behind Iga Swiatek’s absence from the Tour?

The Polish tennis coach, Dawid Celt recently shared a few thoughts on Iga Swiatek’s absence during an interview with “Prezeglad Sportowy” Onet. He initially stated, “I think it’s health problems. Iga caught a virus, she got a little sick. She needs more time for herself, she needs to rest and calmly prepare for the last tournaments of this season.” However, later on, he quickly changed his mind stating, “I think we have to rely on official statements from Iga’s closest circle.” By saying this on the YouTube channel BreakPoint, the 38-year-old clearly hinted at Iga Swiatek’s claim of “personal issues” being the main reason behind her recent withdrawal from the China Open. Is Celt a bit confused, too?

He also highlighted the fact that Swiatek could also possibly be a bit “tired” because, “123 weeks as the leader of the WTA ranking are huge physical and mental costs, very high intensity of play, and the Olympic Games on top of that.” Iga Swiatek has time and again spoken about the gruesome routines that the players have to go through during these tight schedules. So, pulling out from these tournaments to manage her workload isn’t a big surprise for these tennis experts!

Even Adam Romer from the ‘Tennisklub’ magazine shared a similar thought on Swiatek’s recent absence from the Tour. He reiterated, “We have to guess a bit about what is behind Iga’s decisions. However, we can assume that she is tired. I have no doubts about that. She communicated this quite often before.” According to Romer, it’s much better to stay away rather than to play in these conditions and drop out early in the tournament. Do you agree with this statement, though?