‘Control freak’ Iga Swiatek learns ‘tough lesson’ from doping saga as she feared public backlash due to ‘tricky’ situation
World No.2 Iga Swiatek faced a one-month suspension after failing drug test due to contaminated medication.
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Iga Swiatek (via X)
Iga Swiatek heaved a sigh of relief after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) declared that she bore no fault or negligence after contamination by trimetazidine. Along with the ban, she feared public backlash.
Her fears proved true as the tennis community was divided between those who accepted ITIA’s verdict and believed in Swiatek’s innocence and those who blamed the anti-doping organization for double standards and accused Swiatek of intentional doping. Had the ITIA announced the news of her failed drug test in August, the month they found trimetazidine in her sample, the situation would have been tricky.
Also, I know that it would be tricky if the info got out to the public earlier because without the proper explanation and actually without the whole process that happened afterwards, of me proving that I’m not guilty… I think without this, people will judge me straight away.
Iga Swiatek told The Athletic
What Swiatek feared the most was uncertainty, of having no control of her career. She escaped the ban and as a punishment, she was given a one-month suspension.
The most difficult thing was just not knowing what’s going to happen with me for some time, not having my own fate in my hands. It was a tough lesson because I’m a control freak.
Iga Swiatek added
Swiatek is currently in Doha for the Qatar Open. She had defeated Maria Sakkari to schedule a second-round clash with Linda Noskova, the 20-year-old from the Czech Republic who defeated her in last year’s Australian Open third round.
Iga Swiatek says Rafael Nadal was more than a clay-court player
Iga Swiatek is confident that her game suits the hard court as well. Swiatek over the years has established herself as one of the best clay-court players, just like her idol Rafael Nadal.
Nadal, the best clay-court player of all time with 14 French Open titles, wasn’t just effective on the red dirt as he has clinched multiple majors on all surfaces. Swiatek too wants to follow in his footsteps and win the four Majors.
It was the same with Rafa. Everybody always talked about clay, but like he’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) basically on every surface. Also winning Wimbledon twice.
Iga Swiatek told The Athletic
Swiatek, the four-time Grand Slam champion, so far has clinched just one Major title on the hard court (2022 US Open). She is a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon and also never progressed to the final at the Australian Open.
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Gouri Das
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