Iga Świątek, the Polish star who has burned up the tennis circuit in recent months, viciously on bad language. She spoke to her emotional reactions post a semifinal loss at the Indian Wells tournament. The comments came after a long rear guard action to defend her performance. These negotiations came about after she had a hellish month in the shadow of a doping suspension. This is evident in Świątek’s comments, which expose her continued battle to balance public perception with personal turmoil.
In early 2022, Świątek had her own flirtation with suspension after she tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) handled the violation and determined it to be non-intentional. What actually led to this positive result was contamination of OTC melatonin. She was using this supplement to help her with her jetlag/sleep problems. As a result, she withdrew from three tournaments while under suspension and has not won a tournament since coming back.
As she continues to process the impact of her suspension, Świątek expressed her frustration with the contrasting labels she receives from fans and commentators. “When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman,” she stated. On the flip side, she explained, when she shows a little more emotion, she’s labeled as “immature or hysterical.”
Her emotional journey has been particularly taxing. “That’s not a healthy standard – especially considering that just six months ago, I felt my career was hanging by a thread, spent three weeks crying daily, and didn’t want to step on the court,” she recalled. As she prepares for her second-round match at the Miami Open on Friday, it is a highly anticipated matchup. This honest self-assessment is timely as she is currently in pursuit of representing the title she won in 2022.
Since returning from suspension, Świątek has made the semis in three of four tournaments including the Australian Open. She faced defeats to fellow competitor Andreeva in consecutive tournaments in California and Dubai. This fierce level of competition has led to some very personal expressions of frustration on and off the court. In one match, she pounded a ball into the asphalt so hard that boos and jeers rained down from the fans. “I expressed frustration in a way I’m not proud of,” she acknowledged.
After an early exit in Indian Wells, Świątek still has optimism as she heads to the Miami Open and tries to kickstart her season. Earlier this year, she led Poland to a historic United Cup win. Her recent performances have not come close to matching her incredible history at this event.
“Will sharing this change anything? Probably not, because I clearly see how much we love judging, creating theories, and imposing opinions on others.” – Iga Świątek
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