Article by Luminița Paul – Published Monday, May 11, 2026 9:21 p.m. / Updated Monday, May 11, 2026 9:25 p.m.
The Spaniard Francisco Roig (58 years old), the coach of Igăi Swiatek (24 years old, world number 3), suffered a rupture of the Achilles tendon before the start of the tournament in Rome, underwent surgery and then returned to Italy.
Coach Iga Swiatek, Francisco Roigruptured his right Achilles tendon while reaching for a volley during a 100-euro practice match on a special clay court set up in one of Rome's famous piazzas.
“Yes, I tore my coach's Achilles tendon“, Swiatek told several reporters in the mixed zone, after the three-set victory over the American Caty McNallyworld number 63, from round 2. Roig, coach who was for 17 years in his team Rafael Nadalwatched the match won 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 with his right leg bandaged, having reached his seat on crutches.
Meanwhile, Iga won another match, much more clearly, 6-1, 6-0 with Elisabetta Cocciarettothe next opponent being her Naomi Osaka.
“We were training in Piazza del Popolo“, said Iga, recalling one of the largest squares in Rome, where the tournament organizers installed a clay court for promotional activities, with the public in attendance.
“We were like, OK, let's play this funny game that he's played before. I wanted to show him, he's great at volleying, so I bet him €100. I thought I was going to lose, honestly, because he's so good at volleying,” she continued, as quoted by the NY Times.
Iga Swiatek: “I would have burst into tears, I would have made a drama!”
Francisco Roig and Daria Abramowicz in Rome Photo: Imago Images
Then they told themselves to only play on the singles court, basically half the court – both sitting on the service courts and hitting volleys. “I want to win, I'm going to move it a little bit“, recounted the Pole. At 5-4 she already had the match ball, at which point the coach did a split step and tore the Achilles tendon on her right leg.
“The world didn't realize how serious it was because he was so brave at the time. I would have burst into tears, I would have made a drama! And his face was perfectly normal. At first I thought he was jokingmy training partner thought the same,” Iga pointed out.
As the trouble appeared on Saturday, before the start of the tournament, Roig went to Warsaw with Igai's psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, and underwent surgery. On Tuesday he returned to Rome, on crutches. He missed only one practice. As it is difficult for him to move, he sits down during training sessions with a cast on his right leg.
The two began their collaboration just before the start of the clay season, after Swiatek parted ways with the Belgian technician Wim Fissettein a lackluster 2026 so far for the former WTA leader.
