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Tennis legend Martina Navratilova described Iga Swiatek's new serve as "really awkward looking" and urged the 22-year-old Pole to address that aspect of her game following a shock Australian Open exit.
Swiatek, the top-seeded player in Melbourne, was shockingly sent packing out of the Australian Open after Czech teenager Linda Noskova upset the Pole 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the third round. After Swiatek lost to world No. 50 Noskova despite being up by a set, many were left absolutely stunned and shocked, when knowing that the Pole entered the Noskova match on an 18-match winning streak - she won her last 11 matches in 2023 and also started the 2024 season by winning her first seven matches.
Navratilova, a former 18-time Grand Slam champion, thought Swiatek's serve may have been one of the reasons why the world No. 1 ended on the losing side. Against Noskova, Swiatek won 65 percent of her first serve points, 56 percent of her second serve points, and also saved 4-of-7 of break points she faced.
In the offseason, four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek tweaked a bit her service motion.
Navratilova on Swiatek's new serve: Looks awkward
"I'm not thrilled with Iga’s new serve, it looks awkward. And I just don't see that she's getting any more out of it and it just looks really uncomfortable. And she needs to get more free points, that's where she can improve the most I think, with her serve," she told Navratilova said on Tennis Channel.
"I just don't like it, it will not repeat itself under pressure because she just kind of goes and stops. It's just not fluid at all."
Further making her point, Navratilova described it as "really awkward looking" and underlined once again that Swiatek needs fluidity on her serve or otherwise it will be extremely difficult for the Pole to have a consistent rhythm on her serve.
It remains to be seen if Swiatek will be making any change to her serve when she returns to action in February.