Swiatek wants to simplify her game after shock opening defeat in Miami

MIAMI: Iga Swiatek said she would try to simplify her game after the six-times Grand Slam champion was stunned 1-6 7-5 ​6-3 by world number 50 Magda Linette at the Miami ‌Open on Thursday for her first opening defeat in 74 WTA tournaments.

The world number three, who received a bye into the second round, looked to be cruising ​after sweeping through the first set but her Polish compatriot ​Linette soon turned the tables to cause the event’s first ⁠major upset.

“Tennis feels complicated in my head,” Swiatek told reporters. “I know ​it’s supposed to be simple. In terms of my mentality and how ​I feel on court, it’s going to take a while.”

The 24-year-old said her tactical game unravelled in the second and third sets, contributing to her first opening ​defeat since the 2021 WTA Finals.

“It just was a bad match ​for me … unconsciously, or consciously, it’s hard for me to say. I need to ‌work ⁠to get back from that, because I haven’t felt things like that for like five years,” she added.

“I’ll just get back to work, try to get something positive out of the practices and try to ​figure it out.”

Linette, ​34, played down ⁠the significance of the win.

“I don’t like to make a fuss about it because there aren’t too many ​Polish players, so there’s a little more attention,” said ​Linette, ⁠who plays Alexandra Eala next.

“Obviously Iga sets such a high standard for us that’s often not reachable.

“I think it was an amazing win for me, ⁠it ​means so much at this stage of ​my career but I don’t want to comment about it in a way that could ​put her down.”