Swiatek drops out of the top 4—a major shift ahead of Roland-Garros?

Iga Swiatek is going through a very tough period. The Polish player, defending champion in Rome, was knocked out in the third round by Danielle Collins (6-1, 7-5) and is spending her final hours in the No. 2 spot before dropping to No. 5—her worst ranking since February 2022 (when she was ranked 8th before her triumph in Doha).

However, Jasmine Paolini's victory this Saturday against Coco Gauff (who will become the new No. 2, replacing Swiatek) forces the four-time Roland-Garros champion to exit the top 4 for the first time in three years.

The current situation of the Polish player is increasingly worrying tennis observers, as she has not reached a single WTA final since her last title at Roland-Garros in June.

This ranking shift is not without consequences for Iga Swiatek, who will turn 24 at the end of May. Indeed, as the draw for the 2025 French Open approaches this Thursday, Swiatek will be the No. 5 seed while defending her title.

Depending on the draw in the coming days, she could potentially face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a blockbuster quarterfinal clash—rather than in the semifinals, as has been the case in recent months (though the two have never faced each other in a Grand Slam so far).

The two players have already met 12 times (with Swiatek leading 8-4), but they haven’t played each other since last summer’s WTA 1000 semifinal in Cincinnati, which the Belarusian won.

In excellent form this season, Sabalenka has further solidified her place at the top. This Monday, she will hold a nearly 4,000-point lead over her closest rival, Coco Gauff, and has already won three titles this season, including the Madrid tournament in recent weeks.