"We need changes to develop more": Iga Swiatek splits from coach Piotr Sierzputowski

After collaborating for more than five years, world No. 9 Iga Swiatek has decided to part ways with coach Piotr Sierzputowski ahead of the 2022 tennis season.

Swiatek made the announcement on her Instagram account Saturday, writing that “all those years enabled us to be in the place that we are now.”

Sierzputowski was named the 2020 WTA Coach of the Year after guiding to Swiatek to her first major trophy in a surprising Roland Garros run that also marked the Pole’s first tour-level title. This year, Swiatek followed up that breakthrough effort with two more crowns at the WTA 1000 event in Rome and WTA 500 event in Adelaide en route to qualifying for the season-ending WTA Finals for the first time.

In explaining the reasoning, the 20-year-old expressed that change is essential for driving her progress forward. Sierzputowski had successfully guided Swiatek's transition from the juniors as a Wimbledon girls’ champion to reaching the Top 5 of the WTA rankings.

“As tennis players, we meet on our path a lot of people who contribute great value into our work and, often, into our life too, because we spend almost the whole year on tour together,” she said. “I found out that sometimes in our professional life, we need changes to develop more, evolve and meet other people with whom we’re going to create a cooperation for the next stages of our development.”

Swiatek did not disclose a replacement, adding she was putting her energy towards a pre-season “without any outside pressure.” She finished the year with a 36-15 record and second-week appearances at all four major events.