Iga Swiatek faces tough Miami Open build up after Indian Wells loss as practice issues and ranking slip spark concern

Iga Swiatek is heading into the 2026 Miami Open, but things do not look fully smooth for her right now. Just days after her Indian Wells exit, the Polish star opened up about the challenges she is facing in Florida. From tough weather to limited court time, her preparation has not been easy.

She has been training in Miami with her coach Tim Fissette, trying to adjust quickly. However, it has not been perfect. There were moments during practice where she looked frustrated, and even had a tense exchange with her team. Still, she managed to complete two practice sessions before the tournament begins.

Iga Swiatek talks about difficult Miami Open preparation after Indian Wells loss to Elina Svitolina

Speaking to the media, Iga Swiatek honestly explained what she has been dealing with. She said, “It’s been tricky with the practices because of the weather but we changed our schedule to manage that and yeah I got two practices now which is great also not so much flexibility with the courts because these are the busiest days of the tournament.”

She also pointed out that adjusting to new conditions is not simple. “So I’ll try to adjust to the conditions because that’s the most important thing when you switch from different surfaces and everything and be ready for the first match.”

Even though she felt good during parts of training, there are still some unknowns. “I felt great during practice, but obviously, it’s usually closed patterns there, it’s gonna also take some adjustments I would say, but the center court hasn’t been available. So also we are going to see how the surface looks on a center court.”

Her current situation comes right after a tough loss at Indian Wells. Swiatek was knocked out in the quarterfinal by Elina Svitolina in a three-set match, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. It was a close contest, but she could not finish strong.

That result also affected her ranking. After the tournament, Elena Rybakina moved ahead of her. Swiatek is now ranked No. 3, behind Aryna Sabalenka and Rybakina. The gap between her and Rybakina stands at 370 points.

Another concern is her form this season. So far in 2026, she has not won a title. In fact, she has not gone past the quarterfinal stage in any tournament this year. She lost to Rybakina at the Australian Open, then Maria Sakkari at the Qatar Open, and now Svitolina at Indian Wells.

So as she enters the Miami Open, there are a few questions around her. She still remains one of the top players in the world, but she will need a strong performance to regain momentum.





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