Iga Swiatek is back on the courts following her one-month doping suspension and is addressing her recent behavior during the Indian Wells semi-final where frustration got the best of her. The world number two admitted she was not proud of nearly hitting a ball boy after slamming the ball onto the ground, resulting in backlash and scrutiny from fans and media alike.
The incident occurred on Friday during her match against Mirra Andreeva, with Swiatek losing 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-3. It was after this match, where emotions ran high, she expressed her apologies via social media.
On Monday, March 17, 2025, Swiatek took to Instagram to share her feelings about the incident, stating, “It’s true – I expressed frustration in a way I’m not proud of. My intention was never to aim the ball at anyone but merely to release my frustration by bouncing it on the ground.”
Swiatek clarified her actions, explaining, “I immediately apologized to the ball boy. We made eye contact, and nodded to each other when I expressed regret.” The handling of emotional outbursts has become complicated for players, and Swiatek noted this added pressure: “I’ve seen many players bounce balls in frustration, and frankly, I didn’t expect such harsh judgments.”
Fans observed her frustrations and added to her emotional burden after returning from her doping ban which stemmed from testing positive for trimetazidine, during August 2024. Swiatek emphasizes the challenges she faced as she dealt with the consequences of her positive test. Despite resolving the doping case, her layer of vigilance over her behavior intensified.
“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,” she reflected. Coming to terms with feeling as though her career was on the line, Swiatek opened up about emotional battles she faced, stating: “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.”
Beyond the match incident, Swiatek pointed out what she considers to be unhealthy standards and excessive judgments placed on professional athletes. “When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labelled as inhuman. Now, when I’m more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I’m suddenly labelled immature or hysterical,” Swiatek expressed.
Swiatek wanted fans to understand the real human emotion and struggles behind professional sports. “That’s not a healthy standard – especially considering what I’ve been through. I know I’ll never please everyone,” she stated, solidifying the gaps athletes face between performance and public perception.
The Polish star is set to compete as the second seed at the Miami Open starting March 18, 2025, and is determined to move forward from the incident. While reflecting on her past experiences, she concluded, “I walk my own path. See you in Miami.”
