The Japan Times - Queen of clay Swiatek's reign under threat at Roland Garros

Swiatek dropped to a ranking of fifth this week, ending a 173-week stay inside the top two which now likely means she faces a tougher path to a fifth French Open crown in six attempts.

She is without a title since winning for the third time in a row in Paris last June, the first woman to do so since Justine Henin lifted the trophy from 2005-07.

"It hasn't been easy. For sure I'm doing something wrong. So I need to just regroup and kind of change some stuff," Swiatek said after a third-round loss to Danielle Collins in Rome.

That put a swift end to Swiatek's title defence at the Foro Italico and came on the heels of a 6-1, 6-1 defeat by Coco Gauff in the Madrid semi-finals.

Swiatek has advanced to the last eight or better at seven of the eight events she's played in this year but has yet to reach a final, squandering a match point against eventual champion Madison Keys in the Australian Open semi-finals.

Her struggles can be traced back towards the end of last season when she missed the Asian swing citing "personal matters".

Only later was it revealed that she had been absent because of a one-month ban for testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine.

She has consistently denied knowingly doping, saying it came from contaminated non-prescription medication to help her sleep.

Swiatek called it the "worst experience of my life" and said the incident caused "tremendous stress and anxiety".

Authorities accepted her contamination explanation and she returned at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, but other issues have arisen this season.

Swiatek came in for criticism after petulantly swatting a ball in the direction of a ball boy at Indian Wells. She then received extra security in Miami after being harassed by a spectator during her practice.

The 23-year-old flew back to Poland last month for her grandfather's funeral ahead of the Madrid Open. During the loss to Gauff she broke down at a changeover and sobbed into her towel.

Swiatek has often looked tense on court and admitted she cried for six hours after losing to Zheng Qinwen in the semi-finals of the 2024 Olympics at Roland Garros. She was also visibly upset while addressing the media after her Rome exit.

- Swiatek admits confusion -

Her partnership with multiple Grand Slam-winning coach Wim Fissette, whom Swiatek hired last October to replace Tomasz Wiktorowski, has also yet to bear fruit.

Fissette helped Kim Clijsters, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka all win majors, but Swiatek said the coach was not to blame for her recent results. She also defended the role played by her longtime sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz.

"I'm making decisions that are not really good at the moment because I just remember how it felt in previous tournaments or previous years," said Swiatek.

"I kind of assume it's going to go in and then I make mistakes. It's not the same -- I'm confused."

Henin believes it could get even worse for Swiatek at Roland Garros.

"She's in a vicious circle. It's not surprising to see her struggling," Henin told Eurosport last week.

"But maybe it's time for things to come to a head, for things to come out, for her to analyse and understand what's happening to the great perfectionist she is.

"You'd think it would be here at Roland Garros where she'll finally sink before perhaps getting back on track."

That view from Swiatek's fellow four-time French Open champion speaks volumes about a player who has been almost untouchable in Paris, winning her last 21 matches and 35 of 37 overall.

Gauff, beaten by Swiatek in the 2022 final and whose past two French Opens have also ended at the hands of the Pole, warned against discounting her slumping rival.

"I always think if someone wins a tournament that many times, regardless of what shape they're in, they can definitely figure out a way to win again," said Gauff.

K.Hashimoto--JT