The World No.2 Iga Swiatek has charged into the 2025 Australian Open head on and she’s going far! After a rocky end to her 2024 season where not only did she lose her No.1 ranking to her rival Aryna Sabalenka but also had a title-less streak since the 2024 French Open. However, changes in her coaching team seem to be benefitting her greatly. She made the move to appoint a new coach – Wim Fissette, who was just as optimistic about working with the Pole as she was. With the spotlight mostly on the players, there’s little known about the minds that guide them to greatness. Let’s change that!

The announcement for Swiatek-Fissette partnership dropped in October 2024, during her brief hiatus from the tour. Iga Swiatek announced her partnership with Wim Fissette as her new coach, stating, “I’m happy to announce that Wim Fissette is joining our team.” This announcement followed the end of her three-year collaboration with Tomasz Wiktorowski, who had guided her to four Grand Slam titles and her first ascent to World No. 1 since late 2021. Before Wiktorowski, Swiatek was coached by Piotr Sierzputowski.

Notably, Fissette will be Swiatek’s first non-Polish coach. He brings a wealth of experience to their partnership. He has previously coached six former World No. 1 players, including Kim Clijsters and Naomi Osaka. As Swiatek embarks on this new chapter, she emphasizes her long-term vision for her career, stating, “It’s a marathon for me, not a sprint,” hoping to go far with the Belgian coach just as the others under his guidance did.

Before stepping into the coaching spotlight, Fissette played on the ITF Futures tour in 1999 and 2000, where he reached a career-high ATP ranking of No. 1,291. Fissette’s coaching dream truly took flight when he got the chance to train Kim Clijsters and other Grand Slam champions, turning his passion into a successful reality! Fissette’s tennis journey began in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. He fell in love with the sport at age seven and later transitioned to coaching.

His breakthrough came in 2009 when he guided Clijsters to a remarkable comeback, leading her to three Grand Slam titles, including the US Open as an unranked wildcard. His last coaching chapter was with Naomi Osaka, where they shared a remarkable journey that included winning the 2020 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open. After initially teaming up in 2020, they parted ways in 2022 but reunited in 2023, only to part again in 2024 following a challenging run on the tour.

With over 15 years of coaching experience and six Grand Slam titles, Fissette is determined to help Iga complete her Grand Slam set. While she’s already a dominant force at Roland Garros, clinching four titles there, he’s aware of her struggles on faster surfaces like those at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. “Even when you’re number one in the world, it’s important to keep looking for things to improve,” he told Eurosport in October. While it’s yet to be seen just how far this partnership will go, so far Swiatek is happy with Fissette’s presence in her team.

Iga Swiatek opens up about Wim Fissette’s nuances as her coach

After a tough 2024 season that included a doping suspension and losing her No. 1 ranking, Swiatek has returned with renewed energy. She began her campaign with a straight-sets win over Katerina Siniakova, followed by a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory against Rebecca Sramkova in the second round. Her most impressive display came in the third round, where she demolished 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-0, winning the last 11 games in a stunning showcase of precision and power.

The Pole credits much of her resurgence to her new coach, noting his impact during a post-match press conference after R3. “I feel the support. He knows I’m doing 100% even when sometimes the effect is not perfect. On a practice court or something when I’m struggling he gives me a lot of support and understanding,” Swiatek shared. She added that their work focuses on overall execution, which has boosted her confidence compared to last year. Swiatek also praised the new coaching pods introduced at the tournament, saying she enjoys having Fissette close courtside for guidance.

Now set to face Germany’s Eva Lys in the fourth round on Monday, Swiatek looks unstoppable as she chases her first Australian Open title. Will this newfound confidence and partnership with Fissette propel her to Melbourne glory?