Iga Swiatek is feeling the heat as she heads into the Italian Open with her first trophy of 2026 still out of reach. Seeded fourth in Rome, the world number three brings a modest 14-8 record to the WTA 1000 event, following an early exit at the Madrid Open where she retired in the third round against Ann Li due to illness. With Roland-Garros just around the corner, the pressure is mounting, and former pro Rennae Stubbs isn't holding back her concerns.

It's been a quiet start to the year for Swiatek, who hasn't advanced past the quarterfinals at any tournament so far. Injuries and illness have forced her to miss several events, and even last season—despite finishing as world number two with three titles—none came from Grand Slams or WTA 1000s. This year's slow start only amplifies those worries, and Stubbs, speaking on her podcast, didn't mince words.

"Iga has got some questions to answer, that's for sure," Stubbs said. "She loves Rome. She won a final there against Karolina Pliskova, 6-0, 6-0, once upon a time. But this is going to be a massive emotional test for her. If she doesn't do well at this tournament, you start to wonder how much disappointment she can handle on her best surface. The coaching changes, the mentality—Daria Abramowicz wasn't in Madrid, so how will she react if Daria is in Rome? People are going to question everything: the new coaching setup, whether it's working, or maybe it's just Iga herself."

Stubbs believes the stakes couldn't be higher. "If she doesn't win the tournament, or at least make the finals and play well, she's going to be really stressed going into the French Open. We know what she did at Wimbledon—she knows she's capable—but this is only going to get harder." As Swiatek prepares for Rome, all eyes will be on whether she can silence the doubters and rediscover her championship form on clay.