Virus Strikes Madrid: Iga Swiatek Forced Out With Stomach Illness

Last Updated:April 26, 2026, 08:08 IST

Swiatek’s Madrid run ends in heartbreak due to illness, while Sabalenka surges ahead with a 14-match winning streak.

There seems to be no letting up for Iga Swaitek, who encounters heartbreak again.

Illness crashed her party just as momentum was building, as the Pole was forced to retire from her third-round clash at the Madrid Open on Saturday.

Swiatek’s Sudden Exit

Swiatek looked set for another gritty comeback after dropping the opening set to American 31st seed Ann Li. True to her reputation, the Polish star dug deep to level the match and seemed ready to flip the script.

But the tank was empty.

Down 0-3 in the deciding set, Swiatek called for medical attention, had her vitals checked, and tried to push through. When Li held serve to stretch the lead, Swiatek had seen enough and called it quits.

Afterwards, she revealed the real battle had been going on behind the scenes.

“I heard there is something going on between players, that the virus is somewhere on site. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but I had zero energy and zero stability and just felt really bad physically, and yesterday even worse."

It marks her earliest exit in five appearances in Madrid, a tournament she’s usually dominated.

“On the court before the tournament I felt like I’m playing great… so it’s sad for me that I can’t play," she added. “This was positive. But for me the tournament has just started and I couldn’t even compete today."

Despite working with Nadal, physical issues seem to plague the Pole, who has been struggling to get going so far this clay court season.

Sabalenka Stays Relentless

While Swiatek bowed out, Sabalenka just kept doing what Sabalenka does: winning.

The reigning champion extended her streak to 14 straight victories, quietly building momentum while the draw around her begins to open up.

With one major contender out and others potentially affected by illness, the Belarusian now finds herself in a commanding position heading deeper into the tournament.

(with agency inputs)

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