Swiatek's Trust in Grass Leads to Upturn in Fortunes

Before 2025, there was no love lost between Iga Swiatek and the grass courts of Wimbledon.

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LONDON –

So what if it was called the spiritual home of lawn tennis?

So what if it was the tournament that tennis greats such as Martina Navratilova, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic picked out as the one they always wanted to win above any other?

She may not have uttered the words "grass is for cows", as former men's world No. 1 and eight-time Major winner Ivan Lendl once did when he opted to skip the tournament to go on holiday, but Swiatek seemed to share that sentiment as Wimbledon was never a happy hunting ground for her.

The five-time Grand Slam champion always looked like she could not wait to escape the leafy confines of the All England Club during her five previous visits, which often followed her run to the French Open title.

It is the only Major where she has failed to reach at least the last four and there was little evidence that she had the desire to improve that record – until 2025.