Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has brought her 2026 season to an early end after withdrawing from the Ningbo Open, describing the campaign as "one of the most challenging" of her career.
The 25-year-old needed to reach at least the quarter-finals in Ningbo to keep her hopes of qualifying for the season-ending WTA Finals alive. However, her withdrawal from the tournament on Tuesday due to a thigh injury ended those hopes, meaning she will miss the WTA Finals for the first time since 2019. “I’ve been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks, and I feel that giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision,” Swiatek said.
Get well soon, Iga. ❤️ “After careful consideration, I’ve decided to withdraw from the tournament.I’ve been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks and I feel that giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision…” https://t.co/x6xZJmEE36
— Ningbo Open (@wtaningboopen) October 20, 2026
The injury also troubled the former world number one during her 5-7, 1-6 defeat to compatriot Maja Chwalinska in the semi-finals of last week's Wuhan Open. Following her withdrawal from Ningbo, the Pole confirmed that she would not compete in any more tournaments this year, opting to prioritise rest and recovery.
“The past few months, or actually the past couple of years, have been incredibly intense, and I feel I need to rest and recover my body fully. So that’s exactly what I will do, a bit longer this time.
“I’ve decided to end my season here, which means I won’t be playing any more tournaments this year.”
For the first time since 2021, she will end the year without a Grand Slam title, having failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals at any of the four Grand Slam tournaments. Her last Grand Slam victory came at Wimbledon last year. The Pole has also slipped to ninth in the world rankings. She ends the season with a 39-15 win-loss record and with just one WTA title, having won the Canadian Open.
"This has been one of the most demanding seasons of my career, with a lot of challenges, changes and lessons along the way," she added. "I’m especially proud of the work we’ve done in the second half of the year and the progress that came with it. It gives me a lot of confidence in what’s ahead."
Swiatek will now look to put a disappointing 2026 campaign behind her and return stronger next season. She will also aim to make a strong start to the year at the Australian Open in January, where she will have another opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam.
