Iga Swiatek Opens Up About 'Love-Hate Relationship' with Perfectionism

Iga Swiatek talks about her struggles with perfectionism and a disappointing start to the 2025 season as she prepares to defend her Rome title.

Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2, is gearing up to defend her title in Rome, but she's had a challenging start to the year. Despite reaching at least the quarterfinals in every tournament she's played, Swiatek hasn't yet won a title or even reached a final in 2025.

Swiatek attributes her struggles to her perfectionism, reflecting on what she calls a “love-hate relationship” with the trait. At a press conference, she said, “This year I feel like I am struggling a bit more with my perfectionism.” This self-awareness may help her adjust her approach as she aims to regain her winning form.

“I have a love-and-hate relationship with my perfectionism. These clay court tournaments, I just try to reflect on how I see my game and how I also saw previous seasons.

“The thing is, I only remember the good stuff because I was winning titles and everything.

“I'm making decisions that are not really good at the moment because I just remember how it felt in previous tournaments.

“I assume it's going to go in, and then I make mistakes. It's not the same, I'm confused.”

Iga Swiatek's 2024 season was a stark contrast to her 2025 campaign so far. Last year, she won five titles, including three consecutive clay-court victories at Madrid, Rome, and the French Open. However, this year, Swiatek has struggled to replicate that success, failing to reach a final in any of the tournaments she's played.

Swiatek's recent performances have been disappointing, including a one-sided loss to Coco Gauff in the Madrid semifinals, where she was routed 6-1, 6-1. Reflecting on the match, Swiatek said, “The match with Coco for sure wasn't good.” This loss was one of several setbacks for Swiatek, who has fallen at the semifinal stage in several tournaments, including the Australian Open, Qatar Open, and Indian Wells.

Despite the disappointing loss to Coco Gauff, 23-year-old Iga Swiatek is maintaining a level head. As she prepares for the French Open, where she aims for a fifth title in six years, Swiatek is focusing on the bigger picture.

Interesting insight from Iga Swiatek earlier at her press conference in Rome, where she highlighted something that has been undermining her this year:

"This year I feel like I am struggling a bit more with my perfectionism. I want to for sure focus on, like, being disciplined on…

— Talking Tennis (@TalkingTennisTT) May 6, 2025

Swiatek downplayed the significance of her Madrid semifinal thrashing, saying, “It's just like one day. You can't judge everything by it.” She added, “I'm continuing the work that I've been doing. I trust the process. We'll see on the next one,” indicating her commitment to her training and confidence in her abilities to bounce back.

“I'm proud of the consistency. Still, I feel I'm as consistent as I was in previous years. But for sure, I also want to win some tournaments. That's the goal.”