Swiatek, total connection with Francis Roig

Fernando Murciego | 11 May 2026 | 23.58

Swiatek, Total Connection with Francis Roig. Source: Getty

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Although the clay court season of Iga Swiatek has been somewhat irregular, the feeling with the Polish player is that she is getting closer to the competitive rhythm she seeks. Francis Roig plays a significant role in this.

During these weeks at WTA 1000 in Rome, we have witnessed once again, at moments, that imperial Iga Swiatek who suffocates you on clay courts. The Iga Swiatek we have always known, the one we thought would return sooner rather than later. For this, a radical change within the team was necessary, a decision that led her to choose Francis Roig as her new coach. It is not easy to fit in so well with a new coach, but in this case, we can say that everything has gone smoothly from the start. After defeating Naomi Osaka in a little over an hour, the player from Warsaw explained in a press conference the reasons behind this strong connection she has found with the Spanish coach.

Match Assessment

“It was a great match, no doubt. I was very sharp from start to finish, I knew what to do at all times and executed it well. Throughout the match, I felt very confident in my game. I am very happy with my performance, for sure”.

Becoming More Solid on Clay

“Having this amount of matches really helps, as I couldn't accumulate many matches before. The goal here was always to play as many matches as possible. Today I didn't feel that there was much wind, it didn't bother me. I think the day I played with Cathy (Mcnally) it was much windier, but on that day, I was more patient. I made good decisions in terms of risk-taking, didn't venture too much when it was unnecessary. Today against Naomi, I felt very solid, surely this led to the statistics I ended the match with”.

Francis Roig and Handling the Logistics of His Injury

“He is using a little buggy to move around, which is really saving us because the first day there was no way to get it, so he had to go to the practice courts on crutches, which was quite tough. Fortunately, each day he is getting better at using crutches, he's learning, it's a new skill (laughs)”.

Iga Swiatek, Delighted with Her New Coach

“From the very beginning, I felt a great connection with Francis, I understood him perfectly, I guess it all depends on that specific relationship that each player has with their coach. Every player wants a coach with a good eye, with a clear plan of what needs to be done and, above all, how to achieve it. Francis has a very subtle touch in terms of how he tailors each practice to what the player needs at that moment. He is also very aware of the factors at play when we are training. We have clicked in all aspects, both physically, mentally, and in training. It's nice to see how aware he is of everything happening”.

Jessica Pegula in the Quarterfinals

“First, we need to see when the match is played, the conditions here are important to consider for a possible preview. I mean, Jessica will always be a really tough opponent, no matter the conditions. She already has a lot of experience and remains calm. She has a very solid game, so I need to be prepared, considering the matches she has been playing on clay. It's been a long time since we last played on clay, so we'll see what happens”.

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