Iga Swiatek faced a crushing 6-1, 6-1 defeat to Coco Gauff in the 2025 Madrid Open semifinals, marking one of the worst losses of her career on clay. The world No. 2 struggled immensely, committing 28 unforced errors and winning just 26 points compared to Gauff’s 57. Her frustration boiled over early in the second set when, after a poor shot into the net, she shouted “Kurwa! Dlaczego?” (roughly translating to “For f**k’s sake, why?” in Polish) toward her player box. The chair umpire issued a rare code violation for audible obscenity, further compounding her visible distress. Swiatek was seen fighting back tears during a changeover, draping a towel over her head, a moment that captured her emotional struggle.
In her post-match press conference, Swiatek offered a somber assessment, admitting her game “collapsed” against Gauff. “I didn’t play well even in these matches that I won. I think I pushed kind of with my head for more than I should, tennis-wise,” she said. She highlighted poor movement as a key issue, noting, “I wasn’t even in the right place with my feet before the shots. I wish I would have moved better, because that would get me any opportunity to bounce back.” Swiatek, who had battled through three-setters earlier in the tournament, including a comeback from a 6-0 set against Madison Keys, acknowledged her inconsistent form. “I haven’t been moving well, and the tennis also was like on and off for most of the tournament,” she added, expressing uncertainty about the root cause of her struggles.
Despite her dominance on clay, with four French Open titles, Swiatek’s 2025 season has been challenging, with no finals reached despite consistent quarterfinal appearances. The loss to Gauff, her third straight defeat to the American, underscored a shift in their rivalry, which Swiatek once led 11-1. She denied emotional changes affected her, stating, “I’m not a different player than I was in past years in terms of my attitude or emotions.” Looking ahead, Swiatek planned a brief break before the Italian Open, hoping to reset for the clay season’s climax at Roland Garros, where she remains a defending champion.[](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/2049522/Iga-Swiatek-Coco-Gauff-Madrid-Open)[](https://www.si.com/onsi/serve/news/iga-swiatek-on-why-nothing-worked-against-coco-gauff-in-madrid)[](https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-watch-iga-swiatek-screams-obscenity-frustration-shock-coco-gauff-madrid-loss-faces-unfortunate-consequences)
