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Iga Swiatek opened up about her dynamic with new coach Wim Fissette after advancing to the third round of the ongoing Australian Open. The Pole believes Fissette's experience coaching on the WTA Tour is a boon for her as he understands what they go through.
On Thursday, January 16, Swiatek was clinical in her 6-0, 6-2 victory over Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova in the second round of the Australian Open. The World No. 2 registered her 24th bagel in a Major since 2020.
During her post-match interview, Swiatek was asked about her experience working with Belgian coach Fissette. The 44-year-old has previously guided players like Kim Clijsters, Angelique Kerber, and Naomi Osaka to Grand Slam titles. Swiatek praised Fissette’s extensive experience on the WTA Tour.
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"He’s great. I feel like he’s really supportive. Being on the women’s tour isn’t easy. When most of the coaches are men, they need to also understand what we go through sometimes. Wim does that well. He uses his experience. Besides the stuff we do on court, we have a nice relationship and can talk about many things," Swiatek said.
Swiatek won four of her five Grand Slam titles under the guidance of her previous coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. After the 2024 US Open, she decided to part ways with her Polish coach during a tumultuous period due to her doping controversy.
Days later, the 23-year-old revealed Fissette as her new coach. The Belgian had previously reunited with Naomi Osaka after abruptly ending his partnership with Zheng Qinwen, only to part ways with Osaka again before joining Swiatek's team.
Iga Swiatek reveals how Wim Fissette supported her during her doping row
In August, Iga Swiatek tested positive for trimetazidine, causing her to miss the Asian swing before returning to compete at the WTA Finals in November. The news of her failed drug test became public later that month.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Australian Open, Swiatek shared that her new coach, Wim Fissette, was supportive and nonjudgmental, despite the controversy emerging early in their partnership.
"I feel like he knows what I feel and he doesn't judge. He just helps me. So that's amazing," Iga Swiatek said.
"Honestly, we've kind of moved on. When I hired Wim, I already knew that I'll be able to play normally. Yeah, so when I hired Wim, I didn't know. His support was something like really great and like extraordinary," she added.
In the third round of the Melbourne Slam, Swiatek will face a stern test against Emma Raducanu. It will be the fourth meeting between the two, with the Pole triumphing in each of their past encounters.
