As Iga Świątek gears up for the high-stakes Mutua Madrid Open, her team is making a pivotal tactical adjustment—revamping her serve—after a troubling trend against one familiar opponent. The Polish tennis star recently suffered her sixth consecutive loss to Jelena Ostapenko, and her coach, Wim Fissette, is now opening up about the critical changes being made behind the scenes.
“After Miami, we made some adjustments to the preparation of the serve,” Fissette said. “In practice, it works very well. But in the match with Jelena Ostapenko, Iga was a bit tense at the beginning. Once she settled in, it improved.”
Świątek has built a strong reputation on clay courts, yet Ostapenko’s relentless aggression continues to be a hurdle. The most recent defeat once again exposed inconsistencies in Świątek’s first serve, an element that has been fluctuating throughout her recent outings.
“In some matches, she served very well; in others, the first serve was missing,” Fissette admitted. “That inconsistency is exactly why we’re putting so much attention into it. We’re working on it daily—it’s a key part of her game we want to improve.”
With a resume that includes coaching tennis elite like Naomi Osaka, Fissette brings a sharp eye for technical refinement and mental toughness. His focus on boosting Świątek’s confidence and execution on serve could be crucial as the pressure builds through the clay season.
Despite the recent setbacks, the tone in Świątek’s camp remains confident and measured. “I am convinced that it will get better step by step,” Fissette said optimistically.
Świątek’s immediate challenge comes in the form of rising star Alexandra Eala, who stunned her at the Miami Open earlier this year. Their rematch in Madrid promises to be a thrilling clash, as Świątek looks not only to advance but also to prove that her new serve strategy is ready for prime time.
Still chasing her first career title at the Madrid Open, the world No. 1 is hoping this fresh focus on serve mechanics will be the game-changer she needs to regain dominance on clay and reverse her trend against the sport’s most aggressive players.