Iga Swiatek’s time at the Madrid Open was cut short in the third round after she retired from her match against Ann Li.

It was Swiatek’s first WTA 1000 appearance under new coach Francisco Roig. She had split the first two sets with Li before going down 3-0 in the final set and deciding to retire due to illness.

She had started well, picking up a solid win over Daria Snigur after a disappointing run in Stuttgart. But she couldn’t push through her health issues this time, sharing an update with fans after the match.

Swiatek reflected on her withdrawal from the 2026 Madrid Open a couple of days later, sharing her thoughts on Instagram:

“What can I say? It was a real rough day. It stings not having full control over my performance or being in charge of every decision.”

“Today is a bit better, and I’ll take the next day or two to recover fully. Then we’ll push forward with more hard work.

She ended her post with an eye on the future, saying: “I’m pretty excited for the next one in Rome,” where she has already won three times in her career.

Since 2021, Swiatek has captured three titles in Rome. However, last year, her campaign ended earlier than expected with a third-round exit to Danielle Collins.

Swiatek began the year ranked second in the world but now sits fourth after a slow start to the season.

But she trails Coco Gauff by just six points, a margin that could easily be overcome during the Italian Open.

Gauff is defending 650 points from her runner-up finish last year, while Swiatek has just 65 points to protect.

A deep run in Rome would put her back in the mix and potentially move her back up to third.

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