Coach Wim Fissette Analyzes Iga Swiatek’s Stuttgart Setback, Optimistic Ahead of Madrid Title Defense
Iga Swiatek’s recent loss to Jelena Ostapenko at the 2025 Stuttgart Open marked her sixth straight defeat to the Latvian — a rare statistical blemish in the Polish star’s otherwise stellar career. Despite the disappointment, Swiatek’s coach, Wim Fissette, remains calm and confident in her trajectory as the World No. 2 prepares to defend her title in Madrid.
Swiatek, 23, bowed out in the Stuttgart quarterfinals in three hard-fought sets against Ostapenko, continuing a frustrating trend in their head-to-head matchup. Fissette, speaking with TVP Sport, highlighted that Swiatek’s performance wasn’t far off — though her serve continues to be an area of focus.
“After Miami, we made some adjustments to the preparation of the serve. During training, it works very well,” Fissette said. “In the match with Jelena Ostapenko, Iga was a bit tense at the beginning. When she settled into the match, things got better — but there were too many ups and downs.”
Swiatek’s serve inconsistency has become a talking point in 2025, with solid showings in some matches followed by dips in others. Fissette emphasized that this isn’t unusual, but acknowledged that ironing out those fluctuations is part of the daily grind in training.
“This element fluctuates. It’s normal that we pay a lot of attention to it — we work on it every day. I am convinced it will get better step by step.”
While Ostapenko’s ultra-aggressive style seems to have Swiatek’s number for now — with past wins over the Pole in New York, Indian Wells, and Dubai — Fissette isn’t ringing any alarm bells. The seasoned coach, who has guided champions like Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka, believes Swiatek’s overall game is in solid shape.
“Looking at Iga’s matches and what she shows in training, there’s nothing urgent that needs immediate fixing or drastic changes,” he stated. “We don’t have much time between tournaments, so we focus on small corrections — those daily improvements.”
Now turning her focus to the Madrid Open, Swiatek has a chance to bounce back in a big way. She begins her title defense against Alexandra Eala, the teenager who stunned her at the Miami Open earlier this season.
Madrid presents both a challenge and an opportunity: for redemption against Eala, and for Swiatek to reclaim dominance on her beloved clay. Fissette, for his part, believes the champion within Swiatek is only sharpening with every setback.