For Iga Świątek, the 2025 season was a journey of unprecedented transformation. It was a year that began with heartbreak on the blue courts of Melbourne, where a single point separated the Polish star from her first Australian Open final. Madison Keys eventually edged her out in a grueling semifinal after Świątek held a match point, a defeat that could have deflated a lesser athlete. Instead, that “bloody point” became the fuel for a historic campaign that redefined the 24-year-old’s legacy.
From Grass-Court Skeptic to Wimbledon Queen
The most significant chapter of Świątek’s 2025 season was written at the All England Club. Long considered a “clay-court specialist” despite her US Open title, the Pole silenced her critics by capturing her first Wimbledon crown. In what many are calling the most dominant performance in modern Grand Slam history, she dispatched Amanda Anisimova in the final with a “double bagel” (6–0, 6–0), a feat of ruthlessness that echoed the era of Steffi Graf.
This victory at SW19 was more than just a trophy; it was her sixth career Grand Slam title and her first on grass, making her one of the few women in the Open Era to have won majors on all three surfaces. By the end of the year, she had amassed 62 match victories, marking her fourth consecutive season with 60 or more wins—a level of consistency not seen since the days of Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport.
A Strategic Evolution for 2026
Despite her brilliance, Świątek finished the 2025 season ranked world No. 2, trailing her rival Aryna Sabalenka. However, as the tour pivots toward the 2026 Australian Open, the narrative is shifting. Alongside her coach Wim Fissette, Świątek is implementing a “slimming” of her competitive calendar. The goal is clear: eliminate the mid-season burnout that led to unusual lulls on clay in 2025 and ensure she arrives at the “Major” events with maximum physical and mental freshnes.
“Iga is young, but we need to step by step become a better player and add things to her game,” Fissette recently told the media. This strategic pivot focuses on quality over quantity, targeting the elusive world No. 1 seat and the one trophy missing from her “gablot” (trophy cabinet).
The Final Frontier: Melbourne Park
The 2026 Australian Open represents the final hurdle for Świątek to complete the Career Grand Slam. If she triumphs in Melbourne, she will become the first woman to achieve the feat since Maria Sharapova in 2012. The heartbreak of 2025 has been replaced by a quiet, methodical confidence.
With titles in Cincinnati and Seoul under her belt and a newfound serve speed that rivals the biggest hitters on tour, the “Polka” is no longer just a contender; she is a force of nature. As the tennis world descends on Australia this January, the message from the Świątek camp is unmistakable: the lessons of the past have been learned, the schedule has been optimized, and the hunt for history is on. No one is safe when Iga Świątek plays with a point to prove.