Defending champion Iga Swiatek said she was keeping her expectations in check as she prepared for \u2060Wimbledon, acknowledging the tournament\u2019s recent habit of failing to produce back-to-back women\u2019s singles champions.<\/p>\n
With nine different winners in the last 10 editions \u200cat the All England Club, the six-times Grand Slam title winner said she did not \u200cknow why repeating success on grass had proved so difficult, even \u200cfor established majors champions.<\/p>\n
“For sure it’s a tournament that creates maybe different challenges \u200cwhen you come back as the defending champion because of the \u200cwhole thing that is happening around it,” Swiatek<\/a> told reporters on Saturday.<\/p>\n “I think there were players that won this tournament that already have won many tournaments and \u200cGrand Slams. Why particularly it’s hard to repeat \u2060that, I have no idea.”<\/p>\n The Polish \u200cplayer claimed her maiden Wimbledon crown last year in emphatic style, crushing American \u200bAmanda Anisimova<\/a> 6-0 6-0 in the final, but has struggled to replicate that dominance in recent months.<\/p>\n Her season has been marked \u200bby inconsistency, with quarter-final exits at the Australian Open, Qatar and Indian Wells, followed by a shock second-round loss to compatriot Magda Linette<\/a> in \u2060Miami. That defeat prompted \u200ba coaching change, with Swiatek replacing Wim Fissette with Francisco Roig.<\/p>\n The biggest setback came at Roland Garros, where the four-time champion suffered a surprise fourth-round exit to Ukraine\u2019s Marta Kostyuk<\/a>.<\/p>\n Her grasscourt preparations have also been underwhelming, losing \u200cto Emma Navarro<\/a> in the last 16 at Bad Homburg where she was top seed, leaving her with questions to answer ahead of her Wimbledon defence.<\/p>\n “I feel like I’m starting from a totally different position and I’m really in a place that I’m keeping my expectations low,” the 25-year-old said.<\/p>\n “Even though everybody is talking about this (being the defending champion), I feel like I need to play matches and I need to adjust. It’s not going to be smooth because of last year.”<\/p>\n