Iga Swiatek sits outside the qualification spots for this year’s WTA Finals.
The six-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t been anywhere near her best in 2026. With a handful of tournaments left this season, Swiatek sits 10th in the ‘Live WTA Race’, 650 points behind eighth-placed Linda Noskova.
If the Pole fails to close that gap, she will miss out on the WTA Finals for the first time in six years. The 2023 champion will be keen to return to the year-end championships, but is that still her main goal for 2026?
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During a recent interview with ‘Radio Zet‘, Swiatek’s coach, Francisco Roig, answered that very question.
Francisco Roig confirms that reaching the WTA Finals is still Iga Swiatek’s main priority for 2026
“It’s definitely still a long way off, but yes, it’s our goal. However, if we don’t achieve it, it won’t be the end of the world. We’ll have a little more time to prepare as best we can for next season. Iga [Swiatek] and I talked about the WTA Finals. The point is, if we perform well in the two upcoming tournaments, we could still [qualify] depending on our opponents’ results,” said Roig.
“That’s why we want to try to achieve the best results possible without thinking about the WTA Finals.”
Swiatek has work to do if she wants to take a trip to California this November. A slow start to the season hurt her chances of qualifying, and while strong results before the US Open brought her back within striking distance, she remains in trouble.
Live WTA Race
| Rank | Player | Country | Points | Status |
| 1 | Elena Rybakina | Kazakhstan | 7,492 | Qualified |
| 2 | Aryna Sabalenka | Belarus | 6,485 | Currently qualifying |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | USA | 5,825 | Currently qualifying |
| 4 | Coco Gauff | USA | 5,654 | Currently qualifying |
| 5 | Mirra Andreeva | Russia | 5,614 | Currently qualifying |
| 6 | Elina Svitolina | Ukraine | 4,809 | Currently qualifying |
| 7 | Karolina Muchova | Czechia | 4,400 | Currently qualifying |
| 8 | Linda Noskova | Czechia | 4,234 | Currently qualifying |
| 9 | Marta Kostyuk | Ukraine | 3,910 | Not currently qualifying |
| 10 | Iga Swiatek | Poland | 3,584 | Not currently qualifying |
| 11 | Iva Jovic | USA | 2,427 | Not currently qualifying |
| 12 | Victoria Mboko | CAnada | 2,393 | Not currently qualifying |
It would be a shame to see such a talented player miss out on the event, especially given her past success at the WTA Finals. Swiatek won the 2023 WTA Finals, defeating Jessica Pegula in the final.
Iga Swiatek’s WTA Finals results
- 2021 – Round robin
- 2022 – Semi-final
- 2023 – Champion
- 2024 – Round robin
- 2025 – Round robin
The Pole will have several opportunities to pick up points between now and the end of the season. Her first stop is Beijing for the WTA 1000 China Open.
Francisco Roig shares what he wants Iga Swiatek to do at the China Open
Roig was also asked what he expects from Swiatek at the China Open, which begins on Monday, September 28.
I’d like to see a player who simply plays and doesn’t feel the need to send winners. She’s meant to make her opponent uncomfortable. Sometimes I observe rallies where I get the impression that Iga makes a mistake earlier than the other player simply because she’s taking too much risk and trying to play too fast. Sometimes it’s worth calming down and simply playing the right shot. You don’t have to try to hurt your opponent on every point. You can cause problems with the quality of your shot, not by playing everything so quickly. And that’s exactly what we’re working on,” he said.
“So I want to see a player who comes in with a better serve, good movement, good coordination, and without unnecessary stress. That will show up to some extent anyway.
“We’re going to China. The first match won’t be easy again, because the first match of the tournament isn’t always easy. If we win it with a sense of accomplishment, it will help us in the next match. I think Beijing will be a good place for Iga. I’m convinced we’ll arrive in good shape. We have a lot of humility and are taking it step by step. The first match will be the most important.”
Swiatek won the 2023 China Open, but lost in the fourth round 12 months ago. It remains to be seen if she will perform better this year with Roig in her corner.
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