Iga Swiatek secured her 40th win of the 2026 season by defeating Magdalena Frech in her opening match in Wuhan, China.
The victory extended her streak of recording at least 40 wins to five consecutive years.
The Polish tennis star described the campaign as the toughest of her career, even though she won the Canadian Open for the first time.
Swiatek said she has faced different challenges throughout the season but remains pleased with her ability to maintain consistent results.
She called the milestone meaningful because of the difficulties she has encountered during the campaign.
She emphasized that continuing to win has required greater persistence than in previous years.
"I mean, every year has been so different that there's no, like, pursuit or solution.
So, I'm happy that even though, yeah, every year was different and presented different challenges, I'm able to be consistent, and, for sure, this one has been the toughest, so still getting every win means a lot.
I'll try to have as much as possible, obviously," Swiatek said.
The 24-year-old also discussed the biggest lesson she expects to take from the season, highlighting the importance of perseverance when results do not meet expectations.
She said finding alternative solutions and recognizing progress beyond match outcomes had become increasingly important.
"Well, just the fact itself of, like, pushing even when you feel bad, or when it's not going your way, and trying to find different solutions.
Probably the biggest lesson will be that nothing will come easy, because, you know, it kind of has been pretty up in my career, going like always forward a little bit, even when I had some bad periods.
I suddenly won something, and I felt great. So this year, it's been a bit tougher.
So, I think I will learn to have more grit and to find also little successes, not only, you know, be happy with the results, but also with the process and everything, and you need these things to keep pushing even if the results are not there," Swiatek said.
Career Titles and Season-by-Season Record
Her career record includes 26 titles and six Grand Slam championships, according to the source's historical figures.
Her title tally has varied considerably across seasons, with 2022 standing out as her most successful year.
Swiatek won eight titles from nine finals in 2022, including two Grand Slam championships and four WTA 1000 titles.
She captured six titles in 2023 and five in 2024, maintaining a strong run of success across consecutive seasons.
In 2025, Swiatek won three titles, including Wimbledon, ending a year-long title drought with her triumph at the grass-court Grand Slam.
Her first WTA Tour-level title came at the French Open in 2020, when she won her first major championship.
According to the source's year-by-year records, Swiatek won two titles in 2021, one in 2020, and one in 2026.
The 2026 Canadian Open was her only title listed for the current season, while her victory over Frech in Wuhan marked her 40th match win of the year.
