Coco Gauff’s Mixed Results Fuel Brad Gilbert’s Shock at Iga Świątek’s Slump

Coco Gauff’s uneven 2026 campaign has become a talking point in the WTA, with Brad Gilbert, her former coach Andre Agassi’s longtime collaborator, pointing to her mixed results as part of a wider top-tier drop-off that includes Iga Świątek’s stunning fall from grace.

What happened to the WTA’s top seeds?

Iga Świątek’s 2026 season has collapsed after her failure to defend her Wimbledon title. The Pole, ranked No. 3 before the tournament, has slid to No. 8 in the world. Świątek hasn’t reached a final in ten months and has won just three titles since mid-2024, a stark drop from the 19 she claimed between 2022 and mid-2024.

Why Gilbert is surprised: and why Coco Gauff matters

Brad Gilbert, who coached Coco Gauff under Andre Agassi, admitted on the Big T Podcast that Świątek’s slump shocked him most. “Iga surprised me the most: how much she’s fallen off,” Gilbert said. He noted her serve and shot selection have slipped, and her 2025 Wimbledon win relied on a favorable draw. Gilbert urged her to study Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have kept improving their games.

Coco Gauff’s own 2026 has been inconsistent. Gilbert’s comments came as Gauff, the 2023 US Open finalist, produced mixed results without a clear upward trend. Her last title came in September 2025 at the Korea Open, and she hasn’t reached a final since.

What comes next for Świątek: and the rest of the field

Gilbert told Świątek she must add to her game now, not wait for the off-season. “You’ve got to be willing and flexible. If I need to make a change, it’s right now,” he said. Świątek, 25, has dropped to No. 12 in the Live Race to the 2026 WTA Finals and needs a major turnaround to qualify for the season finale.

The broader WTA picture shows Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina also struggling. But Świątek’s fall stands out for its speed and scale: and it’s happening while Coco Gauff, once a rising peer, navigates her own uneven path in 2026.