Iga Swiatek's next coach set to be Agnieszka Radwanska's husband Dawid Celt? Exploring the possibility
Iga Swiatek cut ties with her long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski after nearly three years earlier this month, heralding the beginning of a new era. Now, the tennis world is eagerly waiting to see who the World No. 1 will hire next to be in charge of her team.
During the split announcement on social media, Swiatek made an interesting comment, hinting that her next full-time coach is likely to be someone who is not Polish. For context, Wiktorowski is Polish as well, and before him the five-time Grand Slam champ partnered another Pole -- Piotr Sierzputowski.
"Due to this important change on my team, I give myself a couple of weeks to start a cooperation with a new coach. I’m in the middle of first talks with coaches from abroad (non-Polish), because I’m ready to take the next step in my career. I will let you know when I make a decision," Swiatek had written.
While that is going on, Swiatek will need a coach for the short-term to get through the 2024 season first. The World No.1 was last in action at the US Open, where she fell in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula.
Since then, the Pole has remained on the sidelines, and did not play any tournaments at the Asian swing. In her absence, World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who won the US Open, has continued her red-hot form, winning the recently concluded Wuhan Open to overtake her in the WTA Race to Riyadh.
With the WTA Finals coming up, where Swiatek is the defending champion, the year-end World No. 1 spot is at stake. To prepare herself for that, she has entrusted the help of one Dawid Celt, as per the latest reports.
For those unaware, Celt is a former ATP player from Poland, who did not reach dizzying heights as a tennis player himself. However, it is at coaching that he excelled. First, he took over the reins of compatriot Agnieszka Radwanska's team, taking her to a career-high ranking of World No. 2 and cementing her as a force to be reckoned with on the WTA Tour.
Then, in 2018, he was appointed as the captain of Poland's Billie Jean King Cup team. There, Magda Linette was impressed by his coaching abilities, and hired him as her head coach as well in 2021 for a brief partnership. In 2022, Celt took Poland to its first Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Interestingly, while working with Radwanska, Celt and the Pole began dating in 2013 and got married in 2017. The pair now have a child together, Jakub, born in 2020.
Celt's pedigree as a coach, therefore, is well established on the tour. His Polish background also makes it easier for Swiatek to hire him as an interim coach during a crucial period of the season, instead of worrying about hiring someone new right now or going into the WTA Finals without a proper coach.
Agnieszka Radwanska previously captained Iga Swiatek
Interestingly, Agnieszka Radwanska has previously captained Iga Swiatek, leading the team at the United Cup. In 2024, Poland reached the final, with Swiatek winning all of her singles matches along the way. However, in the title clash, they fell to Germany 1-2.
Radwanska also featured at the charity event Swiatek organized in 2022 to help collect funds for relief work in Ukraine after the country witnessed heavy destruction following Russian invasion.