Why Did Iga Swiatek’s Father Leave Her Coaching Team? WTA Pro’s Tough Family Decision Explained

After a barren first half of the season, Iga Swiatek’s narrative flipped like a storm at Wimbledon, igniting a run that turned 2025 into a redemption song. Yet, before this latest surge, a quiet but powerful decision shaped her path: her father, Tomasz, stepped back from coaching in 2024. The 60-year-old, once her earliest guide and the man who molded her foundation, chose to trade the coach’s chair for a father’s role. A former Olympian rower for Poland in 1988, Tomasz had steered Iga’s formative years before passing the reins to others, ensuring he could stand firmly behind her, not as a strategist, but as her greatest supporter. But what drove his decision to step down?

The family decision that shaped Swiatek’s career path

Tomasz, a former Olympic rower, initially coached Iga through her early tennis years. But as she progressed, he chose to step aside, not to cut her off, but to let her “live and work the way she wants.” He explained, “I’m glad that I can be with her in the role of a parent. It’s really more beneficial for everyone when there’s a division of roles and responsibilities. The result is good results on the court. We are, above all, a family, and family is not work. Iga has specialists for that.”

By relinquishing the coaching role, Tomasz allowed his daughter the space to build her own support team and professional identity. That clear division of roles empowered her to flourish, ensuring each person, her coach, psychologist, and father, contributed best in their respective ways.

This tough yet loving family choice created the ideal environment for Iga to thrive. Free from the weight of mixed roles, she developed autonomy, professionalism, and ultimately rose to become World No. 1, winning multiple Grand Slams, a testament to her talent and the strength of their mutual respect.

Iga Swiatek’s father’s role in her early coaching journey

Tomasz Swiatek, a former Olympic rower, first steered Iga toward tennis by encouraging her involvement in the sport, leaning toward individual competition to maximize her potential. With discipline and routine at the heart of his coaching, he fostered her work ethic early on. This solid foundation in the junior circuit provided the structure she needed to excel.

From those formative practice sessions, Tomasz witnessed Iga’s natural spark as she grew into a fierce competitor. She moved through the junior ranks with confidence, powered by her own drive and his steadfast support. The clarity and consistency he instilled prepared her for the rigors of national and international play, setting her on the path to becoming one of tennis’s brightest stars.

While Tomasz initially led Iga’s early development, he eventually eased back to let specialized coaches step in. Today, he remains her unwavering supporter, supporting from the sidelines rather than instructing. His early sacrifices and belief in her ambition planted the seeds for independence and elite performance.

Reasons behind Iga Swiatek’s father leaving the coaching team

As Iga’s career advanced, she needed expert-level guidance. Recognizing this, Tomasz voluntarily handed over coaching to “specialists” with the technical expertise to elevate her game on the global stage. He believed that focus from true professionals was essential for her continued growth. 

He remained present, attending tournaments and supporting her, but embraced the parental role fully, believing that a clear division between personal and professional boundaries was crucial for both her performance and family harmony.

This decision wasn’t easy. Tomasz acknowledged the initial challenge, but it allowed Iga to develop greater independence and professionalism. As she thrived under a dedicated coaching team, she secured Grand Slam titles and ascended to the top. His selfless pivot created the ideal environment for her meteoric rise.

Now Iga heads to the quarterfinal, set to face her Wimbledon final opponent: the one she famously defeated with a double bagel, Amanda Anisimova. But with hard courts in play at the US Open, who holds the edge this time: Iga or the American?

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