Iga Swiatek is in danger of missing the WTA Finals for the first time in six years and her coach Francisco Roig has opened up about her mindset about qualifying for the season-ending event.

The six-time Grand Slam winner has qualified for the tournament the past five years, winning the title in 2023 while she reached the semi-final in 2022 with the other three appearances marked by round-robin exits.

Whereas in the past Swiatek was virtually assured of her spot at the WTA Finals at this stage of the season, the Pole is currently outside the top eight in the WTA Finals Race To Indian Wells as she has won only one title – the Canadian Open – this campaign.

The top seven players at the cutoff date qualify for the tournament while the final spot is reserved for a current Grand Slam winner who sits between eighth and 20th in the standings.

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As things stand, Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova occupies the last spot in the Live Race, but the Czech will be handed a spot as a Grand Slam winner should she drop out of the top eight.

That makes Swiatek’s job even tougher as she now has to chase the seventh-placed Karolina Muchova, who has a handy points lead.

Live WTA Race to Indian Wells

1. Elena Rybakina – 7,502

2. Aryna Sabalenka – 6,495

3. Jessica Pegula – 5,825

4. Mirra Andreeva – 5,731

5. Coco Gauff – 5,664

6. Elina Svitolina – 4,819

7. Karolina Muchova – 4,410

8. Linda Noskova – 4,244

Cutoff

9. Marta Kostyuk – 3,910

10. Iga Swiatek – 3,594

The Challenge And Schedule

It means Swiatek has to make up 816 points on Muchova during the final few events of the season with her biggest chances coming at the WTA 1000 double header, the China Open and Wuhan Open.

Of course, it’s not completely in her hands as a title run for Muchova at either of those events could end her hopes with Elina Svitolina even further ahead in sixth place.

Marta Kostyuk is also still in the race, but she won’t play at the China Open, hampering her chances of qualification.

Swiatek, though, has also added another tournament to her calendar should she require last-gasp points as she is set to make her debut at the Ningbo Open with the WTA 500 event running from 19-25 October.

Francisco Roig’s Quote

It will certainly be a big blow for Swiatek if she fails to qualify for the tournament, but her coach Roig says she is seeing glass as half full as she believes it would give her more time to practice and rest ahead of the 2027 season.

But that doesn’t mean the former world No 1 has given up hope of securing a spot at the Indian Wells event as the Spaniard told Eurosport Spain: “If she qualifies, that’s great. She was the first to say it: ‘If I don’t qualify, we’ll have more time for training and rest, but we’ll do everything we can to qualify.’ That’s what she told me.”