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Iga Swiatek’s Madrid Open campaign ended early due to illness, highlighting a virus affecting multiple players.
Iga Swiatek was forced to retire from the Madrid Open after falling ill mid-match, ending her campaign in distress and prompting an outpouring of support from across the tennis world.
The world No.4 was trailing 0-3 in the deciding set against Ann Li when she called for medical assistance. After briefly continuing, Swiatek withdrew, unable to complete the match.
Post-match, the six-time Grand Slam champion explained she had been battling a stomach virus for two days.
She indicated there were signs of illness circulating among players at the tournament and admitted she had entered the match already feeling unwell.
Swiatek reported a sharp drop in energy and increasing physical discomfort as the match progressed. She said dizziness and a lack of coordination became evident in the third set, leaving her unable to continue despite attempting to push through.
The early exit marks her shortest run in five appearances at the Madrid Open. It comes at a frustrating time, with Swiatek noting she had been in strong form during pre-tournament preparations and felt her game was progressing well.
Attention now turns to the upcoming French Open, scheduled in a month. Swiatek remains one of the leading contenders, having won the title four times, in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, alongside major victories at the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2025.
The illness has not been isolated. Coco Gauff also showed symptoms during her match but managed to defeat Sorana Cirstea in three sets. Meanwhile, Liudmila Samsonova withdrew ahead of her third-round clash due to illness.
Despite the setback, the expectation is Swiatek will recover in time for the clay-court major, though her Madrid exit underscores the disruption caused by the virus affecting multiple players.