MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2 tennis player, has faced intense backlash after nearly hitting a ball kid with her racket during the semi-finals at Indian Wells, and she's breaking her silence to address the fallout.
The incident occurred on March 16, 2025, during her match against 17-year-old sensation Mirra Andreeva, who went on to win the match 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, knocking Swiatek out of the tournament. During her service game, Swiatek was thrown the ball by the ball kid, and responding to her frustration over the game, she smashed the ball back, narrowly missing the boy and sending it bouncing toward the crowd. The action drew gasps and boos from the audience.
Feeling the heat of public scrutiny, Swiatek took to social media the next day to explain her actions and share her emotional state over the past year. "I see there’s been much recent talk about changes in my on-court behavior and emotions. Although I’m not comfortable explaining myself, it’s time I share my perspective to stop the speculation and baseless theories," she stated on Instagram.
Swiatek went on to express regret for her behavior, admitting, "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." She immediately apologized to the ball boy, who received her gesture without apparent distress.
The Polish player revealed how her struggles off the court have also contributed to her emotional displays. After last year's controversial doping suspension related to the medication trimetazidine, which she explained was due to contamination from melatonin for jet lag, Swiatek faced significant mental challenges. "About six months ago, I felt my career was hanging by a thread. I spent three weeks crying daily and didn’t want to step on the court," she shared.
These experiences have shifted her mindset and her approach to emotional regulation during matches. Swiatek remarked, "When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman. Now, when I’m more expressive, I’m labeled immature or hysterical. That’s not a healthy standard.”
The feedback surrounding the Indian Wells incident revealed to Swiatek the double standards female athletes often face. "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," she explained.
Despite the tumultuous response from the crowd and the challenges stemming from her recent experiences, Swiatek expressed her gratitude toward her supportive fans. "To those fans who truly support me, I deeply thank you and want you to know how grateful I am for your kindness. I know I’ll never please everyone. I walk my own path," she noted.
Preparing to return to the court at the Miami Open, where she is set as the second seed, Swiatek's focus is on reclaiming her position following her drop from the top rank, recently overtaken by Aryna Sabalenka last October. With the penalties and scrutiny weighing heavily on her, she mentioned the importance of accepting her current situation without yielding to the pressure to conform to external expectations.
Speaking about the direction her career is heading, Swiatek stated, "I’m slowly moving toward the direction I want, leaving here with solid work done, many good memories, and valuable lessons." She is aware the path will not be easy, especially as she aims to balance her emotional well-being with the intense scrutiny of the tennis world.
While reflecting on her past performances, including her successes at the French Open and the U.S. Open, she recognizes the rollercoaster nature of professional sports. “This realization deeply upset me. You could see this on the court during my match in Dubai, where my emotional state really showed,” she remarked.
Nonetheless, Swiatek remains determined to evolve as both a player and as an individual facing the pressures of competitive sports. She concluded with the empowering reminder, "Will sharing this change anything? Probably not, but perhaps some people who genuinely want to understand what I’m experiencing will grasp this. This external standard is definitely not my standard, and I don’t accept my team and me being boxed within those external expectations. See you in Miami."
