Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has called an early finish to what she described as "one of the most challenging" seasons of her career.

Poland's Swiatek failed to qualify for the end-of-season WTA Finals - for the first time since 2019 - after pulling out of the Ningbo Open on Tuesday with a thigh injury.

Shortly afterwards, the 25-year-old announced she was bringing a largely barren season to a close, in order to recharge over a longer period of time before returning in 2027.

Former long-time world number one Swiatek - who has ended a season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2021 - has dropped to ninth in the rankings.

"The past few months, or actually the past couple of years, have been incredibly intense," said Swiatek, who will have an opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January.

"I feel I need to rest and recover my body fully, so that's exactly what I will do - [for] a bit longer this time."

Her most recent Grand Slam triumph came at Wimbledon last year.

Swiatek has managed one WTA title this season - the Canadian Open in August - and ends 2026 with a 42-16 win-loss record.

On Saturday, she lost to fellow Pole Maja Chwalinska in the Wuhan Open semi-finals, only her fourth defeat in 23 matches.

"I'm especially proud of the work we've done in the second half of the year and the progress that came with it," said Swiatek, who needed treatment on her thigh but played on against Chwalinska.

"It gives me a lot of confidence in what's ahead."

Swiatek's decision to curtail her 2026 campaign was not a surprise once she withdrew from Ningbo.

For a player who would have automatic qualification for the WTA Finals down as a bare minimum for her yearly expectations, there seems little sense in Swiatek continuing.

Even if the injury cleared up sufficiently to play another tour event in Tokyo, or go to the season finale in Indian Wells as an alternate, she would not have got the mental break which it has long looked like she has needed.

It has been another season of flux and frustration.

In March, she split from Belgian coach Wim Fissette and soon afterwards appointed Spaniard Francisco Roig - the former coach of Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu - as she looked to return to being "a rock on the court".

Lifting a WTA 1,000 trophy in Toronto has been the clear high for Swiatek this year.

The unusual explosion of pent-up emotion when she beat Elena Rybakina - now the world number one - demonstrated what it meant and looked to be a turning point.

However, the stress and anxiety which she has openly spoken about feeling on the court - leading to erratic unforced errors - has not gone away.

Swiatek has often been overcome by emotion during matches, most recently when she wiped away tears during her defeat by childhood friend Chwalinska.

While that was somewhat down to the injury, Swiatek's refreshingly honest answer afterwards - that she could "go on a longer vacation" by not reaching the WTA Finals - gave a clearer indication of what she really needs before getting back to work ahead of 2027.