Iga Swiatek, a winner of six Grand Slam titles, has chosen to end early a campaign she characterized as among the most difficult of her career.
The Polish star missed out on a spot in the year-end WTA Finals for the first time since 2019, following her withdrawal from the Ningbo Open on Tuesday due to a thigh problem.
Soon after, the 25-year-old revealed that she was wrapping up her mostly trophy-scarce season ahead of schedule, aiming to take an extended break to rest before making her comeback in 2027.
Swiatek, who previously held the top spot in the world rankings for an extended period, has fallen to ninth place after finishing a year without a major trophy for the first time since 2021.
“These recent months—and really the last few years—have been extremely demanding,” noted Swiatek, who will get a chance to achieve a career Grand Slam at the upcoming Australian Open in January.
“I believe it is necessary for me to step back and allow my physical health to fully recover, which is precisely what I plan to do—this time taking a slightly longer break.”
The last time she secured a major championship victory was at Wimbledon during the previous season.
Throughout this tour year, Swiatek captured a single WTA tournament trophy—the Canadian Open in August—concluding 2026 with a record of 42 victories and 16 losses.
She was defeated by her compatriot Maja Chwalinska in the Wuhan Open semi-finals on Saturday, marking merely her fourth loss across 23 contests.
Prior to continuing her match against Chwalinska, Swiatek required medical attention on her left leg, admitting that the injury had been troubling her for “a number of weeks.”
“I take particular pride in the effort our team put forth during the latter part of the season and the strides we made,” Swiatek expressed.
“It instills immense faith in me regarding what lies ahead.”
