Tennis star Iga Swiatek laments ‘constant judgement’ after facing harsh criticism for nearly hitting ball boy

Former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek posted a lengthy mentation connected societal media this week aft the tennis pro faced dense disapproval for astir hitting a shot lad retired of vexation during her semifinal nonaccomplishment astatine the BNP Paribas Open tennis tourney successful Indian Wells, California, past week. 

During the 3rd acceptable of the match, a shot lad tossed a shot successful Swiatek’s direction, which she past instantly swatted backmost astatine him – conscionable missing him. 

Iga Swiatek hits to Mirra Andreeva during the WTA semifinals astatine the BNP Paribas Open successful Indian Wells, California, connected Friday, March 14, 2025. (IMAGN)

The shot deed the crushed and deflected into the assemblage down the shot boy, prompting a harsh absorption from fans successful the stands. That disapproval continued connected societal media successful the days that followed the Friday match. 

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On Monday, Swiatek responded with a lengthy station explaining the concern and besides calling retired the treble modular of fans. 

"I spot there's been a batch of caller speech astir changes successful my on-court behaviour and emotions. Although I'm not comfy explaining myself, it's clip I stock my position to halt the speculation and baseless theories," her station began.

"First, astir the incidental during my past match. It's existent - I expressed vexation successful a mode I'm not arrogant of. My volition was ne'er to purpose the shot astatine anyone but simply to merchandise my vexation by bouncing it connected the ground. I instantly apologized to the shot boy, we made oculus contact, and nodded to each different erstwhile I expressed regret that it happened adjacent him."

Swiatek said she has seen galore players "bounce balls successful frustration" and was amazed by the disapproval she received for it. 

Iga Swiatek reacts to a constituent by Mirra Andreeva during the WTA semifinals astatine the BNP Paribas Open successful Indian Wells, California, connected Friday, March 14, 2025. (IMAGN)

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"I didn't expect specified harsh judgments. Usually, I power specified impulses, truthful half-jokingly I tin accidental I deficiency acquisition successful this and misjudged my purpose successful the vigor of the moment."

Swiatek besides lamented the "constant judgement" she said she is subjected to. 

"When I'm highly focused and don't amusement galore emotions connected court, I'm called a robot, my cognition labeled arsenic inhuman. Now that I'm much expressive, showing feelings oregon struggling internally, I'm abruptly labeled immature oregon hysterical. That's not a steadfast standard-especially considering that conscionable six months ago, I felt my vocation was hanging by a thread, spent 3 weeks crying daily, and didn't privation to measurement connected the court."

Iga Swiatek makes an entreaty to the seat umpire during her semifinal lucifer against Mirra Andreeva astatine the BNP Paribas Open successful Indian Wells, California, connected Friday, March 14, 2025. (IMAGN)

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Swiatek made notation to her caller doping scandal, when, successful August, she tested affirmative for the banned substance trimetazidine, oregon TMZ. The results of that trial were made nationalist successful November and the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted her mentation that the effect was unintentional and caused by the contamination of the non-prescription medicine melatonin that she was taking for issues with pitchy lag and sleeping.

"Today, aft everything I've been through, I'm inactive processing and coming to presumption with those experiences. Will sharing this alteration anything? Probably not, due to the fact that I intelligibly spot however overmuch we emotion judging, creating theories, and imposing opinions connected others. But possibly a fewer radical who genuinely privation to recognize what I'm experiencing volition recognize this. In immoderate case, this outer modular is decidedly not my standard, and I don't judge my squad and maine being boxed into outer expectations."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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