Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff have endured shaky begins to the 2026 season.
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff have endured shaky begins to the 2026 season (Picture: GETTY)
Martina Navratilova is satisfied that rival gamers have found out find out how to beat Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, having recognized their weak spots. Each gamers have endured shaky begins to the 2026 season by their very own excessive requirements. Swiatek has misplaced 4 of her 13 matches for the reason that flip of the 12 months and was dumped out of the Australian Open within the quarter-finals.
Gauff, in the meantime, has misplaced 4 of her 14 matches in 2026 and was additionally overwhelmed within the final eight in Melbourne. She then misplaced her opening match on the Qatar Open earlier than being knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships within the semi-finals. Assessing the struggles of each gamers, Navratilova steered their rivals had lastly found out find out how to get the higher of them.
Chatting with the WTA forward of the Indian Wells Masters, Navratilova mentioned: “I believe for each Iga and Coco, the matches that they used to win simply, they’re now successful generally with issue, or dropping. It doesn’t take a lot to have that occur.
“What’s the ultimate scoreline, perhaps 6-4, 6-4, nevertheless it’s solely 100 factors to 94. I believe the opposite gamers are starting to determine find out how to beat them as a result of they’ve the instruments now to get the techniques proper.
“They’ve readability of motion. I additionally assume they be taught to observe towards that sort of stuff. They’re used to it, in order that they don’t get on the court docket and say: ‘My God, I haven’t seen that a lot topspin ever earlier than’. They will create topspin with their hitting companions.
“They will plug these holes the place they’re uncomfortable with a specific shot, the forehand or the backhand and construct that confidence.”
Navratilova’s evaluation will probably be music to the ears of Aryna Sabalenka, who will probably be hoping to drag additional forward of her two closest rivals because the season progresses.
Leave a Reply