On July 7th, local time, Polish world number one Iga Swiatek suffered a surprising three-set defeat to world number 35 Veronika Kudermetova in the third round of Wimbledon. Despite grass being her weaker surface and Wimbledon being her least successful Grand Slam historically, such an early exit for a reigning champion was an upset.
Veronika Kudermetova
“I felt like I was playing without any fear,” Kudermetova said about her performance. “I believed that I could do it, I had full belief in myself, I had nothing to lose, so I was ready to take risks. And my coach told me that whatever shot I want to play, I have to believe 100% in my decision and execute it.”
“That might have been the turning point in the second set. From that moment on, I played very, very well. Today, I’m very happy because it wasn’t that she gave me the win; I earned it.”
Kudermetova’s excellent performance on the day, coupled with her recent Birmingham title two weeks prior, which marked her first grass court championship, boosted her confidence on the surface.
“Honestly, winning in Birmingham gave me a lot of confidence, made me believe that I can play good tennis on grass,” Kudermetova commented. “Before that, I didn’t have much success on grass, I didn’t win a match last year. Coming into a tournament like Wimbledon after winning five matches in a row on grass is great, and it helps you feel better on this surface.”
Iga Swiatek
For Swiatek, bowing out in the third round of a major was undoubtedly disappointing. She analyzed her loss, attributing it to insufficient rest after the demanding clay court season.
“For me, going from playing at my peak level on clay a month ago to a surface where I’ve always struggled a bit, it’s not easy to adapt,” Swiatek explained. “All these things combined made it difficult for me to perform well at Wimbledon.”
“I always push my limits in tournaments, but suddenly, my ‘tank’ was empty, and I was a bit surprised. But I know what I did wrong after Roland Garros – I didn’t allow myself proper rest. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
“After such a high-intensity clay court season, my body really needed some rest. I needed more power on grass, more patience, acceptance of more mistakes, but mentally, I wasn’t there for this Wimbledon. I need to recover better after clay, both physically and mentally.”
“Losing in the third round makes me feel like I didn’t show my best level.” While the loss was bitter, Swiatek will bounce back quickly, “But that’s tennis, so you have to look forward. I believe I’ll have more opportunities this year to show my best tennis, and I’ll focus on that.”