Even before Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka stepped onto the Italian Open courts, the stakes were sky-high, with the pair sharing 10 Grand Slam titles between them. Both have faced challenges this season, but impressed by reaching the later stages of the clay-court Masters. Yet after Swiatek dismantled Osaka 6-2, 6-1 in just 1 hour and 20 minutes, a major incident during the match cast a shadow over their WTA status.

At the Italian Open, the situation surrounding Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka became baffling before their match began. The two multi-time Grand Slam champions were placed on the BNP Paribas Arena, the second-largest court in Rome, instead of the tournament’s main court, Campo Centrale.

This court shuffle came despite the stature of Swiatek and Osaka, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. It seems unusual that players of their caliber would be moved off the main court, particularly given their history and drawing power on the WTA Tour.

It is understandable that Jannik Sinner and Flavio Cobolli were given main court priority, as they are home favorites in Italy. However, the WTA matches chosen instead of Swiatek and Osaka’s were curious selections that only added to the controversy.

Sorana Cirstea versus Linda Noskova was scheduled to open the court, while Karolina Pliskova versus Elena Rybakina closed the order of play. While Rybakina is currently ranked No. 2, her match with Pliskova lacked the potential theatrics and excitement that a fourth-round showdown between Osaka and Swiatek could generate.

The decision seemed even more perplexing considering the quality and history of both Swiatek and Osaka. Players of their stature deserve main court matches across the WTA Tour, and being relegated to the second-largest arena felt like a missed opportunity for the tournament.

Despite this, the match itself quickly became the most eye-catching meeting of the tournament. Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, faced Osaka, a four-time major winner, in what was anticipated to be a thrilling encounter.

Osaka had reason to believe she could challenge Swiatek, considering her strong performance in the previous round against 19th seed Diana Shnaider. She also recalled their instant classic French Open second-round match two years ago, which Swiatek won after facing match point.

However, Osaka needed a near-perfect serving performance to have any chance of success. From the outset, her serving struggled, setting the tone for a challenging and quick evening.

The conditions did not help. Cold, heavy, and slow nighttime conditions hindered Osaka’s fast-paced first-strike tennis style, allowing errors to pile up against one of the tour’s best defensive players.

Swiatek capitalized on these weaknesses, dismantling Osaka 6-2, 6-1 in just 80 minutes. With the win, Swiatek now trails only Serena Williams for the highest win rate against opponents who have held the WTA No. 1 ranking. She holds a 21-9 record, equating to a 70.0% win rate, while Serena recorded 72.9% with a 113-42 record.

Additionally, at 24 years and 339 days old, Swiatek is the youngest player to reach five quarter-finals at the Internazionali d’Italia since Serena Williams, who achieved the feat at 22 years and 226 days in 2004.

Swiatek now moves into the quarter-finals to face Jessica Pegula. 

And after the victory, she openly spoke about the strong bond she is developing with her new coach.

Iga Swiatek expresses delight over collaboration with new coach Francis Roig

The past few months have been a steep learning curve for Iga Swiatek. Her inconsistent results led to a split with coach Wim Fissette and the hiring of Francisco Roig in March. 

After training at the Rafa Nadal Academy, which included a few sessions with Nadal himself, Swiatek’s first major tournament with Roig at the Madrid Open ended prematurely. She was forced to retire from her third-round match against Ann Li due to illness.

Swiatek is a three-time champion in Rome, her most successful event outside of Roland Garros. Returning to these familiar courts, she has taken a significant step toward regaining her top form. However, the partnership between Swiatek and Roig started with an unexpected setback.

A few days before the tournament, Swiatek was training on the clay court built in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo. During a volley game, Roig tore his Achilles tendon. “We made a bet for €100,” Swiatek recalled. “I thought I was going to lose, honestly, because he plays the volley so great. I was like: ‘Maybe let’s play only the singles court.’ It’s half-court basically. [But then] ‘Let’s play doubles. I want to win, I’ll make you move a little bit.’ I had 5-4 and the match point already. He did a split step and tore his Achilles.”

Roig was rushed to Warsaw for surgery with Swiatek’s psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, accompanying him. Within days, he returned to Rome on crutches, navigating the tournament grounds while continuing to work with Swiatek. “Yeah, I broke my coach’s achilles …” she said meekly.

Despite the rocky start, the duo has quickly found rhythm on the court. After defeating Naomi Osaka, Swiatek expressed delight in working with Roig. “From the very beginning, I felt a great connection with Francis. I understood him perfectly. I guess it all depends on that specific relationship that each player has with their coach,” she said.

“Every player wants a coach with a good eye, with a clear plan of what needs to be done and, above all, how to achieve it. Francis has a very subtle touch in terms of how he tailors each practice to what the player needs at that moment. He is also very aware of the factors at play when we are training. We have clicked in all aspects, both physically and mentally, and in training. It’s nice to see how aware he is of everything happening.”

With her focus sharpened and confidence restored, Swiatek is now aiming for a semi-final spot at the Italian Open.