Iga Swiatek: ‘Felt career was hanging a thread, spent three weeks crying daily’ | Tennis News

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek pulled back the curtain on her emotional struggles in a raw and revealing social media post on Monday. She opened up about the challenges she’s faced in recent months— from a doping suspension to the realisation that reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking this season may be out of reach. She even admitted to enduring “three weeks of crying daily.”
Swiatek found herself at the center of controversy during her Indian Wells semifinal clash against 17-year-old rising star Mirra Andreeva. Frustrated after losing a point, Swiatek angrily struck a ball, which narrowly missed a ball boy. The crowd responded with loud boos, and social media erupted, accusing her of “poor sportsmanship.”
Realizing the weight of the moment, Swiatek immediately apologised on court and later took to Instagram to further address the incident. “I expressed frustration in a way I’m not proud of,” she admitted, clarifying that she hadn’t intended to target anyone but had simply let her emotions get the best of her. She also noted making eye contact with the ball boy to express her regret.

Beyond the incident, Swiatek shed light on the broader scrutiny she faces. “When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions, I’m called a robot—inhuman. But when I express feelings or struggle, suddenly I’m labeled immature or hysterical,” she pointed out. “That’s not a healthy standard — especially considering that just six months ago, I felt my career was hanging a thread, spent three weeks crying daily, and didn’t want to step on the court.”
Story continues below this ad

Swiatek found herself embroiled in a doping controversy last year after testing positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) during an out-of-competition drug test in August. The news sent shockwaves through the tennis world, but after an investigation, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that the positive test was unintentional—traced back to contamination in the melatonin she had been using to combat jet lag and sleep issues.
“The second half of last year was extremely challenging for me, especially due to the positive doping test and how circumstances completely beyond my control took away my chance to fight for the highest sport goals at the end of the season,” Swiatek wrote.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Expand