Iga Swiatek is currently competing in Bad Homburg as she aims to claim her first title on grass courts. Despite her impressive achievements, including five Grand Slam wins, Swiatek has struggled to secure a tournament victory since last year’s French Open where she defeated Jasmine Paolini.

This season saw Swiatek reach the quarterfinals in almost every tournament she entered, with the exception of the Italian Open where she was ousted in the third round by Danielle Collins. Although she reached several semifinals and was a strong favorite to win during the clay court events, the four-time Roland Garros champion has yet to make a final appearance this year. As she embarks on her grass-court campaign, former champion Andy Roddick has offered specific advice to enhance her performance on this surface.

Andy Roddick’s Advice for Swiatek’s Grass-Court Strategy

Andy Roddick identified a key tactical adjustment Swiatek should consider to improve her grass-court game. He encouraged her to take the ball earlier on her backhand side rather than maneuvering to hit an inside-out forehand, which limits the speed and effectiveness of her shots on grass.

Specifically to Iga on grass, I’d like to see her take more balls in the backhand side and not try to do that little circle to hit the inside-out forehand as much.

—Andy Roddick, on the Tennis Channel Live Podcast

Roddick expanded on this point, suggesting a straightforward approach that involves increasing the use of her backhand, which tends to penetrate the grass surface more effectively. He also highlighted the importance of mixing up her second serve to keep opponents off balance.

I would tell her if I’m her coach: ‘The simplest adjustment we can make is let’s take a lot more backhands.’ If you’re just left of center or even if you’re in the middle of the court, the ball on our backhand will be way more effective on the grass getting through the court. I think she has to mix up her second serve.

—Andy Roddick

Swiatek’s Recent Performances on Grass and Other Surfaces

Swiatek’s track record on grass has seen progress, with her best result being a semifinal appearance at Wimbledon in 2023, where she lost to Elina Svitolina. The previous year, she exited in the third round after a defeat by Yulia Putintseva. Swiatek’s recent campaign at the French Open ended in the semifinals when she was beaten by Aryna Sabalenka, who eventually lost to Coco Gauff in the final. This loss snapped Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros, where she had won three consecutive titles from 2022 to 2024.

Swiatek’s Views on Practice and Preparation

After her victory over Victoria Azarenka at the Bad Homburg Open, which advanced her to the quarterfinals, Swiatek shared insights about her approach to practice. She emphasized enjoying the freedom to play without the pressure of adjusting to an upcoming opponent, finding the practice courts a place where she can focus purely on improving her skills.

You have freedom to do whatever you want. You don’t need to adjust to your opponent or anything. You just play the way you want to. I really enjoy the time on practice courts. So it wasn’t a problem for me, I gotta say. And honestly, it’s not often that we have time between tournaments to practice. I use every day to just become a better player.

—Iga Swiatek

This win over Azarenka boosted Swiatek’s head-to-head record to 5-1 against the two-time Grand Slam champion and marked her second victory over Azarenka during the season, previously defeating her at the Dubai Open. Swiatek’s upcoming opponent in the Bad Homburg quarterfinals will be either Ekaterina Alexandrova or Maria Sakkari.

Upcoming Quarterfinal Challenge Against Alexandrova or Sakkari

Swiatek’s match history with Maria Sakkari favors her slightly, with four wins in seven encounters. She recently overcame Sakkari in Doha this year to secure her fourth consecutive win against the Greek player. Against Ekaterina Alexandrova, Swiatek leads 3-2 in their head-to-head series, though Alexandrova claimed their last meeting at the Miami Open last year.

Maria Sakkari has collected two WTA titles but has not won a tournament since the 2023 Guadalajara Open. Ekaterina Alexandrova boasts five singles titles, including this year’s Linz Open, and is a two-time winner of the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, triumphing there in both 2022 and 2023, showcasing her strength on grass courts.

The Significance of Adjusting for Grass Court Success

Swiatek remains a dominant figure in tennis, but the advice from Andy Roddick underscores the nuanced adjustments she must make to excel on grass. Her success on clay has been unmatched, yet grass demands a different tactical mindset and stroke execution. Adopting Roddick’s suggestion to utilize more backhands and diversify her second serve could be crucial in converting her potential into titles on this surface.

As she advances in the Bad Homburg Open, these changes might elevate Swiatek’s chances to finally break through and claim her maiden grass-court trophy, reinforcing her status as a versatile and elite champion across all surfaces.