Iga Świątek says she’s either called ‘a robot’ or ‘hysterical’ in response to ball boy incident at Indian Wells
Tennis star Iga Świątek took to social media on Monday to address “recent talk about changes in my on-court behavior and emotions” after her semifinal defeat at Indian Wells last week.
In a lengthy Instagram post, the five-time grand slam champion spoke about an incident with a ball boy during her semifinal against Mirra Andreeva in California.
A break down in the third set, Świątek vented her frustrations by hitting a ball thrown to her by a ball boy hard into the ground, triggering boos and jeers from the crowd. She went on to lose against Andreeva for the second time in as many tournaments.
“I expressed frustration in a way I’m not proud of,” Świątek wrote on Instagram on Monday. “My intention was never to aim the ball at anyone but merely to release my frustration by bouncing it on the ground.
The tennis players’ union co-founded by Novak Djokovic has launched a wide-ranging lawsuit. Mike Frey/Imagn Images/USA Today Sports/Reuters
“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. I’ve seen many players bounce balls in frustration, and frankly, I didn’t expect such harsh judgments.
“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.”
Świątek went on to say how the one-month doping suspension she received towards the end of last year had affected her mentally, explaining how she’s “still processing and coming to terms with” the impact of the positive test, which the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) deemed to have been non-intentional.
“When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman,” said Świątek. “Now that I’m more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I’m suddenly labeled immature or hysterical.
“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.”
Świątek has now lost to Andreeva at consecutive tournaments in California and Dubai. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
In November, the ITIA announced that Świątek had tested positive for heart medication trimetazidine, believed to help boost endurance.
The ITIA said that the positive test was caused by the contamination of non-prescription melatonin, which Świątek had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues. The suspension resulted in her missing three tournaments.
Aside from a United Cup victory with Poland at the start of the year, the world No. 2 has not won a title since returning from the ban, though she did reach the semifinals in three of her past four tournaments, including the Australian Open.
Addressing the impact of her positive test, Świątek added: “Will sharing this change anything? Probably not, because I clearly see how much we love judging, creating theories, and imposing opinions on others.
“But perhaps a few people who genuinely want to understand what I’m experiencing will understand this … I know I’ll never please everyone. I walk my own path. I strive to bring joy to fans watching my matches and to inspire kids by setting a positive example.
“I work hard on myself and set ambitious goals – perhaps sometimes too ambitious. But I truly believe that even if I occasionally take two steps forward and one step back, I’ll reach these goals at my own pace.”
Świątek is next scheduled to play in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday, a tournament she previously won in 2022.
Source: edition.cnn.com