Iga Swiatek and Francisco Roig (Image Via Getty)
Iga Swiatek has made a big coaching change just before the clay season, but the move has quickly turned into a talking point for the wrong reasons. The Polish star recently brought in Francisco Roig after parting ways with Wim Fissette in March 2026.
While the decision looked like a fresh start on paper, what followed raised serious questions.The issue is not just about Swiatek’s new setup. It is about how Roig left his previous player, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The young French player revealed that he did not even get a direct call from his coach. Instead, the message came through his agent. That detail has not gone down well inside the tennis community, and now well-known voices are openly calling it out.
Brad Gilbert and Nick Monroe criticize Francisco Roig as Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard opens up on sudden split
The reaction from inside tennis has been sharp. Former coach of Coco Gauff, Brad Gilbert, and analyst Nick Monroe both questioned how Francisco Roig handled the situation. Speaking on Tennis Channel, Nick Monroe did not hold back. He said, “From my standpoint, that’s ridiculous. That’s awful. From a coach, call your player, tell them you’re going to be moving forward. You know, it’s not that big of a deal. Mpetshi Perricard has also moved on.
Now, Greg Rusedski is going to be his coach, but go to the player. Don’t go through the agent. Don’t go through the back door and leave it like that.”Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard also shared his side in an interview with L’Equipe. He said, “I trusted his word, what he could bring to the table. To throw all that away so quickly seems like a shame to me. Then, it’s a tough, ruthless world. I had never seen anything like it. It was very surprising and disappointing.”Despite the noise, Iga Swiatek has already started working with Francisco Roig. She is currently training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, preparing for the clay season. Roig, who worked with Rafael Nadal for many years between 2005 and 2022, brings strong experience on this surface.Swiatek will be hoping this new partnership helps her bounce back. Her 2026 season has been slow so far. She did not go beyond the quarterfinals in her first three events and also suffered an early exit at the Miami Open. Her next stop is the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, where she will look to regain rhythm on clay.
