Swiatek Breaks Grass-Court Curse to Reach First Wimbledon Final
Iga Swiatek has reached her first Wimbledon final, surprising even herself after years of struggles on grass and a turbulent season that tested her resolve. The 24-year-old, who has dominated clay courts with four French Open titles, will now compete for the most prestigious title in tennis on a surface many believed was her weakness.
Her path to Saturday’s final has been anything but predictable. Swiatek, seeded eighth, had never advanced past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and had not won a title since her 2024 French Open triumph. After a year of emotional setbacks and on-court challenges, the Polish star has transformed her approach.
“I kind of believe anything can happen in tennis,” Swiatek said after her semifinal win. “But I thought I would need more time and more work to get to this point on grass.”
Her rise at this tournament marks a sharp turn from the previous year. After exiting in the third round in 2024, she acknowledged not giving herself enough mental recovery time after the French Open. This year, Swiatek changed that. After falling in the Roland Garros semifinal to Aryna Sabalenka, she took a week to train in Mallorca before entering Bad Homburg, where she reached the final.
The early preparation paid off. Swiatek fine-tuned her movement, improved her reaction speed, and focused on adjusting her strokes for the faster pace and lower bounce of grass. “We worked on stopping properly before hitting the ball and improving hand speed,” she said.
She also switched coaches at the end of 2024, replacing Tomasz Wiktorowski with Wim Fissette. The change has taken time to show results, but her serve is now a weapon. She has won 78% of first-serve points at Wimbledon tied for the second-highest rate in the women’s draw.
Swiatek’s mental game has evolved too. After testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in late 2024 an incident she said resulted from contamination she served a one-month ban. The fallout, along with the pressure of high expectations, had left her searching for peace.
In May, Swiatek said her life had been “turned upside down.” But her demeanor changed in Bad Homburg, where observers noted more ease in her play. “She’s always intense, but now there’s more calmness and fluidity,” one tennis analyst said.
Warm conditions at this year’s Wimbledon have also worked in her favor. The firmer, slower grass allows Swiatek more time to execute her topspin-heavy forehand a shot that often fails to dominate on slick courts. Former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska noted the shift: “The grass is slower now. It helps players like Swiatek who like to build points.”
Swiatek’s resurgence has combined strategy, adaptability, and hard-earned confidence. Whether she lifts the trophy on Saturday or not, her performance has rewritten the narrative about her limits and proved she’s a contender on any surface.
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