Iga Świątek fights back to win emotional Wimbledon opener, Roddick stunned by tears

Iga Świątek fought back from a set down to beat Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in her opening Wimbledon match on 1 July 2026, then burst into tears after the grueling three-hour battle.

Świątek, the world No. 3 seed, looked dominant in the first set. Townsend clawed back to level the match, though, and held two set points on Świątek’s serve. The Pole steadied herself in the decider, reeling off five straight games to close it out. The emotional toll showed immediately after the final point. Świątek collapsed onto the court in tears, her face buried in her hands as the crowd applauded.

On his *Served* podcast, Andy Roddick said he found Świątek’s raw emotion “shocking” despite her resume. “You need to be able to level set every once in a while,” he said. “You’ll never say Iga doesn’t care. If anything, she cares too much.” Roddick pointed to her six Grand Slams and her 6-0, 6-0 demolition in last year’s final. “We view it as, ‘Oh, you got another win.’ She views it as the most important thing ever, almost every time she steps on court.”

Świątek’s next test is Karolína Plíšková in the second round. The Pole leads their head-to-head 3-0, but Plíšková reached the 2016 final here. Świątek will need to shake off the emotional rollercoaster fast. “I hope for a smoother victory,” she said after the match. “But I know what’s coming.”

Świątek’s reaction underlines the contrast between her on-court dominance and her off-court intensity. She has won six majors by 12-0 sets in finals, yet still treats each match like a life-or-death scrap. Roddick’s take highlights a paradox: the same fire that fuels her tears also fuels her relentless drive. That blend keeps her at the top, but it also leaves her vulnerable to moments like this one.