In what is a rarity, Iga Swiatek landed on the other side of history. For the first time since 2021, the World No. 2 faced two consecutive defeats, first against Elena Rybakina and then Amanda Anisimova, facing a premature exit in the 2025 WTA finals. Yet, Swiatek didn’t sport even as much as a frown for the outcome. Instead, she presented an analogy that can double down as a superstition.

“Maybe I won too much in these last years, and this is karma. It’s really hard for me to say; it feels kind of weird,” the player said after Wednesday’s clash. “Honestly, I did everything I could today, so no regrets. I felt like I was really in the zone. I had a positive mindset.

“Tennis is not going to be perfect…I really didn’t give up… but it wasn’t enough, which makes me sad,” she added.

The Polish star reflected that while she wasn’t necessarily expecting anything, her experiences had shown that when she puts in intensity, grit, and genuine effort, it usually pays off. She added that only time will tell whether continuing to work hard will bring the same results again.

In fact, Swiatek admitted that, despite feeling good mentally, physically, and even tennis-wise, given the conditions, she couldn’t quite comprehend why she wasn’t able to make it out of the group stage. Simply put, it’s a state where the 24-year-old knows she has to accept the outcome, yet is struggling at the same time.

Tough times, and understandably so, as her defeat has left the tennis world in disbelief. While part of it may be due to her own shortcomings, or even the “karma” she mentioned, one can’t ignore the fact that there were additional factors during the match that contributed to this shocking loss.

‘Karma’ isn’t alone in seeing Iga Swiatek taste failure

Having entered the match with one win and one loss, Iga Swiatek’s clash against Amanda Anisimova was nothing short of a decider for her semifinal hopes. The match started well for the Pole, who took the first set against the American. However, during a changeover, as she walked past the umpire’s chair, Swiatek suddenly voiced a complaint. “He’s disturbing the game,” she said. “He’s disturbing the game between first and second serve,” added the World No. 2.

Desperate to retain her rhythm, it was only natural for her to request the fan causing the distraction to be removed from the stands. The umpire listened attentively, and though her reply wasn’t audible to the cameras, she appeared to understand Swiatek’s concern and assured her that the issue would be addressed. But even after addressing this wee bit of an issue, it only saw Swiatek’s confidence waver.

Immediate pressure and a composed and aggressive Anisimova only made things difficult for Iga. This was quite evident with the numbers, where the American star won 91% of her first serves and 76% of points behind them, leaving the Pole with little chance of a comeback.

Eventually, the two-hour and 36-minute battle ended Swiatek’s WTA Finals campaign.