Iga Swiatek says tension got the better of her as her French Open campaign ended in a fourth-round defeat to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk on Sunday. The four-time champion lost 7-5, 6-1, marking her earliest exit from Paris since her debut in 2019.
It was a 25th birthday to forget for Swiatek, who hasn't lifted a claycourt title since her 2024 French Open triumph. She said she lost control of the match and couldn't recover as she felt progressively worse.
"I know I lost because I was tense, and my body couldn't do the proper things," Swiatek told reporters. "It's also bad when your tennis is terrible, and you know you were worse than the players you play with."
The six-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged she needs to work on managing tension, adding, "Maybe it's not going to take one week or one month. Maybe it's going to take even a season or something."
Swiatek must now shift focus to the grasscourt season as she aims to defend her Wimbledon title starting June 29.