Tennis Coach Dmitry Tursunov Predicts Continued Rankings Slide for Iga Swiatek Following Indian Wells Exit

Dmitry Tursunov claims Iga Swiatek will struggle to stay in the WTA top five as the former world No. 1 faces a performance slump ahead of Miami.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 17, 2026, 8:17 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tennis365

A Shift in Power at the Top of the WTA

The landscape of women's professional tennis is undergoing a visible transformation as former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek faces a prolonged period of inconsistency. Dmitry Tursunov, who has coached elite players such as Aryna Sabalenka and Emma Raducanu, recently used his Telegram channel to voice concerns about the 24-year-old’s trajectory. Tursunov argued that Swiatek is currently in a "slump" that she is unlikely to escape, noting that the discussion has shifted from her regaining the top spot to whether she can maintain a position among the top five players in the world. This assessment comes as Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have emerged as the dominant "Big Two" of the current season.

Analyzing the Recent Performance Data

The statistics regarding Swiatek’s recent play underscore Tursunov’s concerns. After a period of nearly absolute dominance between 2022 and 2024, Swiatek’s results have leveled off significantly. While she secured her first Wimbledon title and won trophies in Cincinnati and Korea in late 2024, her 2026 season has been defined by three consecutive quarter-final losses. These defeats—coming at the hands of Rybakina in Melbourne, Maria Sakkari in Doha, and Elina Svitolina in Indian Wells have seen her fall from the top of the rankings to world No. 3. Furthermore, in the "Race to Riyadh" standings, which reflect only points earned in the current calendar year, Swiatek currently sits in 10th place.

Miami Open Stakes and Ranking Projections

The upcoming Miami Open represents a critical juncture for Swiatek's ranking security. She is currently defending points from a quarter-final finish in 2025, where she was notably upset by rising star Alex Eala. If Swiatek fails to reach the deep stages of this year’s tournament and American Coco Gauff reaches the semi-finals or final, Swiatek could slip further to world No. 4. Tursunov highlighted that the Pole is under a level of pressure she has rarely experienced, especially given that her clay-court dominance traditionally her strongest asset has also seen a relative dip in recent years.