World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has responded to criticism following an incident at Indian Wells, where she struck a ball in frustration during her semifinal match against Mirra Andreeva, who eventually won the title to make history. The ball landed in the stands and came close to hitting a ball kid.
The incident sparked backlash on social media, with some fans calling her actions “unacceptable.” Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Indian Wells winner, issued an apology and asked for understanding.
“I expressed frustration in a way I’m not proud of,” she wrote. “My intention was never to aim the ball at anyone but merely to release my frustration by bouncing it on the ground. I immediately apologized to the ball boy, we made eye contact and nodded to each other when I expressed regret that it happened near him.”
However, she feels there’s a double standard. “I’ve seen many players bounce balls in frustration, and frankly, I didn’t expect such harsh judgements,” she wrote. “Usually, I control such impulses, so half-jokingly I can say I lack experience in this and misjudged my aim in the heat of the moment.”
Iga Swiatek discusses with the umpire during her semifinal match against Mirra Andreeva (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
The Polish star admitted that the doping ban ‘upset her’
Swiatek shared that she has faced an “extremely challenging” period after testing positive for a banned substance, which led to a one-month suspension. The ban forced her to miss three tournaments, complicating her path back to the top of the WTA rankings.
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“This realization deeply upset me,” added Swiatek. “You could see this on the court in Dubai. I know that playing while stuck in past frustrations, over things beyond my control, isn’t the right path.“
“My team and I recognized this issue almost immediately (with their experience, probably faster than anyone could imagine), but shifting perspective takes significant time, effort and team support.”
After explaining that working on “oneself isn’t something you achieve once and keep forever,” she added that: “Sport is not played by robots. I’ve had three incredible seasons, but nothing comes effortlessly, and there’s no guarantee results will always be easy or under control.”
Swiatek complains about being called ‘hysterical’
Lastly, the Polish star criticized the “expectations” she has to face. “When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman. Now that I’m more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I’m suddenly labeled immature or hysterical,” she said.
“That’s not a healthy standard—especially considered that just six months ago, I felt my career was hanging by a thread, spent three weeks crying daily, and I didn’t want to step into the court,” she revealed.
Swiatke’s complaints are not new, especially from women players, such as Naomi Osaka or Serena Williams, who have been labelled difficult for expressing their anger, frustration or even sadness on court.
