Iga Swiatek, currently ranked world No. 2, is concentrating on improving her serve as she prepares for the upcoming Qatar Open, an event where she has previously enjoyed great success. Returning to Doha as the tournament’s top seed, Swiatek aims to regain her top form following a challenging stretch in recent months.
Swiatek has claimed the Qatar Open title three years in a row from 2022 to 2024, but her winning streak ended last year when Jelena Ostapenko defeated her. Since then, the Polish star has faced several setbacks, including losses to Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic at the United Cup in January and a quarterfinal exit at the Australian Open after being bested by Elena Rybakina, who went on to win the tournament.
Her results at the end of the 2025 season were also below expectations, with early exits at key tournaments such as the China Open and Wuhan Open, followed by a disappointing performance in the WTA Finals round-robin stage. Swiatek’s last title victory came at the Korea Open in Seoul last September, raising questions about her ability to recapture the level that earned her the Wimbledon championship last July.
Swiatek’s Technical Focus Ahead of Tournament
In a press conference before the Qatar Open, Swiatek highlighted three specific areas she is concentrating on to enhance her game: the serve, forehand, and footwork. She emphasized the importance of improving serve mechanics, especially stabilizing the ball toss and generating more twist during the motion.
“I’ve been working on my serve, forehand, and my footwork. You can’t wait for the ball to come to you here. For sure, getting the toss more stable and twisting more,”
Swiatek said.
She further explained that the adjustments she is making do not involve a complete change of her serve motion but rather different physical intentions, such as moving her elbow further back and engaging her hips more during the serve.
“It’s not a change of motion, it’s just like what intentions you want to have when you do the motion. I wouldn’t call it a change. I don’t think it’s physical that much.”
From time to time, you always have to remind yourself of stuff like that in tennis. So the same case on the backhand, the same case on the forehand. I feel like I need to focus on that more.
– Iga Swiatek, professional tennis player
Draw Challenges and Potential Match-ups at Qatar Open
Swiatek faces a competitive draw in this first WTA 1000 event of the year. She is placed in the same half as world No. 4 and defending champion Amanda Anisimova. Their rivalry has seen Swiatek deliver a dominant double-bagel victory in the Wimbledon final last July; however, Anisimova has won their last two encounters, including matches at the US Open and WTA Finals.
If Swiatek advances to the final, a rematch against world No. 3 Elena Rybakina is possible, revisiting the 2024 Qatar Open championship match where Rybakina prevailed. Swiatek’s opening round opponent will be either lucky loser Beatriz Haddad Maia or wildcard entrant Janice Tjen, presenting a crucial first step in her quest to reclaim her top form.
Implications for Swiatek’s Season Ahead
The Qatar Open represents an important opportunity for Swiatek and her coach, Wim Fissette, to regain momentum as they seek to return to the winning consistency that marked her career peak. Enhancing her serve, along with refining her forehand and footwork, could be key to unlocking improved performances this season.
With a demanding draw and high expectations, Swiatek’s serve improvement and overall game adjustments will be closely watched as she aims to reestablish herself among the elite players on the WTA Tour in 2026.
