Iga Swiatek withdraws from 2022 Berlin Open

Iga Swiatek is in the middle of an incredible winning streak, but she will not extend that run at the Berlin Open after electing to withdraw from the event.

It has been nearly four months since the world No. 1 was defeated by Jelena Ostapenko at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Not even the most optimistic Swiatek fan could have predicted what she would achieve after that.

Since then, the Pole has won an extraordinary 35 matches in a row. She started by winning three hard-court titles in Doha, Indian Wells, and Miami. Swiatek had never previously played at such a high level on that surface.

The 21-year-old then continued her domination of the women's game on clay. After claiming the titles in Stuttgart and Rome, she secured a second French Open title by sweeping Coco Gauff aside in the final in straight sets.

Swiatek taking a few weeks off would be understandable whether she had any injuries or not after her efforts this year. However, Swiatek revealed in a statement that she has a minor issue with her shoulder, meaning the Roland-Garros winner will not be playing in Berlin.

Losing the world No. 1 is a blow to the Berlin Open, but Swiatek's decision is entirely understandable. The amount of tennis she has played this year likely led to her shoulder discomfort, meaning resting it seems like a wise move.

Swiatek will hope this does not lead to her being underprepared for Wimbledon. Grass is the surface she struggles on the most, despite winning the girls' singles as a junior at SW19 in 2018.

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