Iga Swiatek appeared visibly emotional following her defeat in the Bad Homburg final.
Despite a loss to Jessica Pegula in the Bad Homburg Open final, five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek expressed optimism about her grass-court prospects, stating she “showed there is hope” for her on the surface.
The former world number one, Swiatek, was competing in her first grass-court final but was ultimately defeated 6-4, 7-5 by American Jessica Pegula.
While Swiatek boasts a junior Wimbledon title, she has faced challenges transitioning to the faster grass surface as a professional. Of her 22 WTA titles, 12 have been secured on hard courts and 10 on clay.
The Polish player, with four French Open and one US Open title to her name, reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2023. However, she has not progressed beyond the fourth round in her other four appearances at the All England Club.
This week in Germany marked a potential turning point, as she achieved her first victory over a top-10 player on grass with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win against last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, Jasmine Paolini of Italy, in the semi-finals.
“This tournament shows there is hope for me on grass,” Swiatek stated, appearing to fight back tears after the match. “I’m happy we can play here, and I’m happy I could prove that.”
Jessica Pegula has secured titles on grass, clay, and hard courts this year, showcasing her versatility.
Pegula, the world number three and winner of her third title of 2025, offered words of encouragement to Swiatek during the on-court interview: “I know you say you can’t play on grass, but trust me, you can still play pretty good on grass. Cut yourself some slack.”
“Good luck for next week; I know it’s a short turnaround for both of us.”
Swiatek is set to face Russian Polina Kudermetova in the first round of Wimbledon on Tuesday, while Pegula will compete against Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto on the same day.
A challenging draw could see Swiatek face former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the fourth round and French Open champion Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals.
Pegula’s path appears more favorable on paper, although she could encounter Tatjana Maria, the surprising Queen’s Club champion, in the second round.
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