Andy Roddick not a fan of Iga Swiatek’s ’10-page’ explanation about ball kid incident at Indian Wells
World No.2 Iga Swiatek nearly hit a ball kid during a tight semifinal against eventual winner Mirra Andreeva at the Indian Wells Open.
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Iga Swiatek sparked controversy with her conduct at Indian Wells (Image via Jimmy48 Photography, Australian Open/X)
What ensued during Iga Swiatek‘s Indian Wells semifinal clash with eventual winner Mirra Andreeva forced the Pola to take to social media to share a lengthy explanation about her conduct. Swiatek was battling it out against Andreeva in a tense three-setter during which the former slammed a ball that would have hurt a ball kid standing in front of her.
After the conclusion of the WTA 1000 event in the California desert, Swiatek took to Instagram to explain that she never intended to smack the ball toward the ball kid; and that she acted in such a manner in the heat of the moment. Many didn’t buy the explanations.
Andy Roddick too thinks Swiatek went too far, questioning why she needed to share a lengthy post that once again triggered a conversation about her doping scandal. The 23-year-old, who was plunged into a period of emotional turbulence after testing positive for banned heart medication trimetadizine, wrote how the thoughts of the doping controversy that dethroned her from the No.1 rankings, affected her performance during the Middle East Swing.
We all do petulant stuff on the court where we break stuff, we do stuff. Would it have been easier for Iga, instead of this ten-page explanation, where now you’re re-inviting the conversation about the doping ban back in, and or qualifying behavior, that you smacked a ball, nearly hit a ball kid, lucky you didn’t, and it’s petulant behavior.
Andy Roddick said on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast
Andy Roddick reveals what he would’ve done if he acted like Iga Swiatek
Andy Roddick said he would never try to express himself like how Iga Swiatek did through that social media post. Had he lost his cool and if his antics hurt a ball kid, he would simply give an apology in person.
I would’ve said, ‘Can someone find that ball kid, let me apologize in person, give them a racket, sign it, he’s good with me so hopefully the rest of you are too. I fu***d up today’. That’s it, it’s over.
Andy Roddick said on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast
Roddick was with four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters who said that when players slam their rackets, “kids need to be left alone.” The American now thinks that Swiatek will be asked about the incident and about the doping case more and more, which is “maybe unfair”.
The ball incident was not the only thing that forced her to be at the receiving end of criticism this year. There were two double bounce controversies, at the Australian Open and the Indian Wells.
She smashed her racket during the Qatar Open even though she previously said she wouldn’t smash it. Swiatek also was accused of taking a tactical break during her semifinal match against eventual winner Madison Keys at the Melbourne Slam.
Iga Swiatek to play at Miami Open next
Iga Swiatek will chase her first title of the season in the ongoing Miami Open. She’s yet to start her campaign as she received a bye for the first round and will be playing a round of 64 match against Caroline Garcia or Anna Bondar.
The five-time Grand Slam champion is 5-1 against the Frenchwoman and they recently met in the Indian Wells second round, which Swiatek had won in straight sets. She has not yet locked horns with Bondar in her career.
Swiatek will be bidding to win her first WTA title since the 2024 Roland Garros. The 2022 Miami Open champion withdrew from the tournament in 2023 and was knocked out in the fourth round in 2024.
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