MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Iga Swiatek shared an introspective look into her emotional journey over recent months, highlighting a period marked by a doping suspension, her realization of potentially not reclaiming the No. 1 ranking this season, and enduring “three weeks crying daily.” In a detailed social media post on Monday, she also addressed the online backlash over an incident where she nearly hit a ball boy with a ball struck in frustration.
Swiatek, who is gearing up for the Miami Open and is seeded second, opened up about discussions surrounding changes in her behavior and emotional expressions on court. She wrote on Instagram, “I’ve noticed much discussion about my on-court emotions. While uncomfortable to explain myself, it’s necessary to clarify my perspective to halt unfounded theories.”
Recalling the incident at the Indian Wells tournament in California, where a ball she hit in frustration landed close to a ball boy, Swiatek explained, “It’s true — I expressed frustration in an unideal manner. I never intended to aim at anyone. I was just releasing frustration. I immediately apologized to the ball boy, making eye contact and acknowledging my regret,” Swiatek explained. “I’ve seen many players express emotions similarly, and I didn’t anticipate such strong criticism. Generally, I control my impulses, so jokingly, I can say I misjudged my aim in a moment’s heat.”
She expressed dismay at the “constant judgment” from others, stating, “It’s evident how people enjoy judging and forming theories about others.”
Swiatek noted how perceptions change with her emotional expressions. “When highly focused and not showing emotions, I’m labeled a robot. Now, as I’m more expressive, I’m called immature. This isn’t a healthy norm — especially since months ago, I felt my career was on thin ice, cried for weeks, and avoided the court.”
The Polish champion, who dominated WTA rankings through parts of 2022, 2023, and 2024 before Aryna Sabalenka claimed the top spot in October, has won multiple French Open titles and the 2022 U.S. Open.
Swiatek faced a doping case after testing positive for trimetazidine in an out-of-competition drug test last August. She explained the positive result was due to contamination from the melatonin she used for sleep issues, which the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted as unintentional.
Her case was disclosed in late November, which saw her missing October tournaments and serving a one-month ban during the offseason. “Last year was tough,” she admitted, “The positive doping test took away my season goals and forced internal changes.”
She wrapped up by acknowledging, “I know I’ll never satisfy everyone. I follow my own journey.” She ended with, “See you in Miami.”
