Swiatek's Wimbledon Struggles Continue with Upset Loss to Putintseva

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon campaign came to an abrupt end on Saturday, as she fell to Yulia Putintseva in the third round. The upset loss extended Swiatek's disappointing record at the prestigious tournament, where she has yet to advance beyond the quarterfinals.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek's reign at the top of women's tennis suffered a setback on Saturday, as she was upset by Yulia Putintseva in the third round of Wimbledon. The 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 defeat marked the end of Swiatek's 21-match winning streak and prevented her from reaching the second week of the tournament for the second consecutive year.

Swiatek's Wimbledon Struggles Continue with Upset Loss to Putintseva

Despite her dominance on the clay courts of Roland Garros, where she has won the past four French Open titles, Swiatek has struggled to find her footing on the grass courts of Wimbledon. This year's third-round exit follows a quarterfinal defeat in 2022, which remains her best result at the All England Club.

Swiatek attributed her struggles in part to the transition from clay to grass, a surface that requires a different approach and set of skills. "Going from this kind of tennis, where I felt like I'm playing the best tennis in my life, to another surface, where I kind of struggle a little bit more, it's not easy," she said.

Swiatek's Wimbledon Struggles Continue with Upset Loss to Putintseva

The defeat was also likely influenced by the demanding nature of Swiatek's recent schedule. After winning her fourth Roland Garros title last month, she arrived at Wimbledon with limited time to prepare and adjust to the grass courts. "My tank of really pushing myself to the limits became, suddenly, empty," she admitted. "I was kind of surprised."

Putintseva, on the other hand, is thriving on grass. The 29-year-old from Kazakhstan entered Wimbledon on an eight-match winning streak on the surface, including a title victory in Birmingham. She is now set to face 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round, her first appearance in the second week of Wimbledon.

Swiatek's Wimbledon Struggles Continue with Upset Loss to Putintseva

Swiatek's exit from Wimbledon leaves the tournament wide open for a new women's champion. The top seed had been considered the favorite to claim her fourth Grand Slam title of the year, but her loss has paved the way for other contenders to emerge.

Despite the setback, Swiatek remains the world's top-ranked player and is likely to bounce back from her Wimbledon disappointment. She will have the opportunity to regain her form at the upcoming hard-court tournaments, including the US Open in August, where she will be aiming to defend her 2022 title.