Iga Swiatek Breaks Silence on Painful Madrid Illness Before Italian Open Return Journey

After a rough few days in Madrid, Iga Swiatek is finally feeling healthy again ahead of the Italian Open in Rome. The former World No. 1 had shocked fans when she retired during her third-round match against Ann Li at the Madrid Open because of illness. Now, the Polish star says she has fully recovered and is ready to start fresh at one of her favourite tournaments on the WTA calendar. Swiatek also opened up honestly about how bad things got during her time in Madrid, saying the illness completely drained her energy and left her unable to compete at her normal level.

Iga Swiatek explains the illness that forced Madrid Open retirement

Speaking before the Italian Open, Iga Swiatek gave a very open update about the sickness that interrupted her Madrid campaign. The 23-year-old revealed that she had been dealing with a virus and stomach problems before her match against Ann Li. “Yeah, my Madrid tournament was tough,” Swiatek said during her press conference in Rome. “It was really bad, literally. So yeah, I was completely off, like, day before the match. The day I played also I was not good, like no energy at all.” The Polish player said the problem became serious enough that continuing the match simply was not possible. She explained that even a day later, her body still did not feel ready for competition.

Swiatek added that she recovered quickly once she got enough rest. Instead of immediately travelling after Madrid, she stayed back to make sure her body could fully recover before heading to Rome. According to her, within two days, she already felt much better. The four-time Grand Slam champion also said several players had fallen sick during that stretch of the season, making it a difficult situation that was hard to avoid. Even though the timing was frustrating, she now feels physically ready again after returning to full practice sessions in Rome. 

Iga Swiatek hopes strong Rome record can restart her 2026 season

The Italian Open could be the perfect place for Iga Swiatek to regain momentum. Rome has been one of the most successful stops of her career, with the Pole winning the title there three times in recent years. However, this season has been different for Swiatek. She is still searching for her first title of 2026 and has faced tougher results than fans are used to seeing from her. Because of that, the Rome event carries extra importance as the clay-court season moves closer to the French Open.

Iga Swiatek enters the tournament as the fourth seed behind Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff. She is placed in the bottom half of the draw alongside, Elena Rybakina. Her opening match will come against either Daria Kasatkina or Caty McNally. Big names like Naomi Osaka, Jessica Pegula, and Karolina Muchova are also part of her section of the draw. Swiatek said: 

“But in two days I was already fine. Then I came here and I was able to practice fully from the beginning 100%. Quickly I was back. It was really unfortunate timing.” 

What are your thoughts on Iga Swiatek’s comeback chances at the Italian Open after her difficult Madrid Open experience? Let us know.

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