World No. 1 Iga Swiatek blames fatigue for shock Wimbledon exit

LONDON – Iga Swiatek has never had much affection for grass and any hope that this Wimbledon would kindle a blossoming love affair for the surface went up in flames as the world No. 1 was sent tumbling out in a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 loss to Yulia Putintseva on July 6.

On paper, the fiery 35th-ranked Kazakh should have been easy pickings for the top-seeded Swiatek, who had not dropped a set in their previous four meetings and came into the encounter on a 21-match winning streak that included banking a fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open.

“For sure, I felt like my energy level went down little bit in the second set. I couldn’t really get back up,” she said.

“My tank of really pushing myself to the limits became suddenly empty. I was kind of surprised. But I know what I did wrong after Roland Garros. I didn’t really rest properly. I’m not going to make this mistake again. After such a tough clay-court season, I really must have my recovery.

“I need to recover better after the clay-court season, both physically and mentally. Maybe next year I’m going to take a vacation and literally just do nothing.”

Yet, slick grass courts just do not suit Swiatek and in the raucous atmosphere on Court 1, Swiatek disintegrated under huge pressure from Putintseva, who dusted herself down after losing the first set to launch an attacking barrage that the Pole could not contain.

The huge Swiatek groundstrokes that had inflicted so much punishment in the opener were now being returned with interest, while the Pole’s movement seemed suddenly sluggish, her feet a fraction of a second slower to adjust to the ball.

Putintseva broke twice in the second set and twice more in the third before sealing victory to set up a last-16 clash against Jelena Ostapenko.

When Swiatek netted a backhand return on match point, Putintseva’s huge smile filled Court 1 and the fans, who seemed to switch their allegiance to the Kazakh in the second set, celebrated with her.

“This is crazy, guys. It was great energy from all of you and I was trying to entertain you more and more with my shots and I was taking energy from you guys,” she said.

For Swiatek, it was yet another disappointment at Wimbledon, where the run to the quarter-finals in 2023 remains her best effort.

It was not therefore as big a shock as it may have seemed. None of her 22 singles titles have come on grass, a surface on which she has never even reached a final.

Asked to explain her struggles in south-west London, Swiatek said: “Actually, this part of the season is not easy because we’re switching surfaces.

“For me, going from this kind of tennis where I felt like I’m playing the best tennis in my life to another surface where I kind of struggle a little bit more, it’s not easy.”

Ons Jabeur likes grass much more, having reached the previous two Wimbledon finals, but the Tunisian 10th seed was also dumped out on July 6, after losing 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) to Ukrainian 21st seed Elina Svitolina.

Jabeur conceded she had been haunted by painful memories of the 6-4, 6-4 2023 final defeat by Marketa Vondrousova when she returned to Centre Court on July 6.

“I’m not going to lie to you. It was a bit of remembering last year. Especially not playing so good, not serving the way I wanted in the first set did bring a bit of sad memories,” she said.

“But yeah, I still love the Centre Court, still hope to come back and win on it again.” REUTERS, AFP