Greg Rusedski outlines the area of Iga Swiatek’s game that is ‘getting pummelled’ this year

A certainty for most French Open titles at the very least, this year marks the first time in three years she has failed to defend her crown. A sad indication of where her game is currently at.

Fortunately, there is still so much that can be improved to get her back to the top, with Greg Rusedski now offering his sage advice on just how easy it can be.

Greg Rusedski rates Iga Swiatek’s game

Speaking on his Inside In podcast, the former British number one did not hold back in his assessment of the Polish superstar.

Although complimentary at times, he was rather scathing in his criticism of Iga Swiatek, but offered measures to help solve those issues.

He began: ‘If I look at Iga’s game right now from the back of the court and the returns, it’s as good as anybody in the world, so not much of a change there.

‘The serve to me is just getting pummelled. Sabalenka steps on the first and the second and players are going to start doing that to her and that will make her feel uncomfortable.

‘If I’m looking at her I think she needs someone to really get that motion tuned up. There are a few things in there that aren’t that difficult to change but nobody has managed to change them.

‘She has to get that first strike after her first serve and find a way to neutralise on the second.’

Rusedski then suggested that Swiatek could do worse than following in the footsteps of a rival, continuing: ‘You have just got to continue to get better all the time. That is what Sabalenka has done. That is why she is number one. She keeps on getting better and adding data analysis. She has her serving coach there, she has her physical trainer, her hitting partner, her main coach. She keeps on adding to this team to get better and I feel like Wim Fisette is a great coach. She has got to find a way to get that serve better to grow her confidence.

‘I think grass is going to be really difficult. Yes, she can get to the quarters but she is very susceptible with the extreme grip on the forehand and she doesn’t feel comfortable with her movement.

‘For me, the tale of her year is going to be what happens in the lead-up to the US Open.’

This is all despite Wim Fissette insisting Swiatek has changed women’s tennis for the better.

Iga Swiatek’s tough 2025 in review

Heading into the grass-court season, a period where she often struggles, it’s worth delving back through what has been a tough year thus far for the 24-year-old.

However, ironically, her worst years stand up to the very best of some others on tour, such is the impossibly high standards she has set for herself.

Swiatek kickstarted the year by reaching the semi-finals in Melbourne, losing to Madison Keys, who would go on to win the title. No shame there.

Next came a string of hard-court tournaments, all of which she progressed deep into before losing to quality opposition.

In Indian Wells, she fought hard but lost to Mirra Andreeva, another future champion, before Miami marked the first real shock defeat of her year as she lost to Alexandra Eala.

Iga Swiatek’s last 5 Grand Slam performances

It’s only throughout the clay-court season that true question marks have arisen, failing to win the title in Stuttgart, Madrid or Rome before losing in the semi-finals of Roland Garros.

For her, it’s been a torrid six months. For most other players, it’s back-to-back semi-finals in Grand Slams as well as plenty more strong runs in other elite events. All Swiatek needs is a nudge in the right direction and she’ll be back winning trophies in no time.