‘Sore Loser’- Iga Swiatek Gets Called Out for Not Shaking Hands With the Chair Umpire After Losing to Elena Rybakina at WTA Finals

Iga Swiatek won only one game in the last 2 sets against Elena Rybakina.

‘Sore Loser’- Iga Swiatek Gets Called Out for Not Shaking Hands With the Chair Umpire After Losing to Elena Rybakina at WTA Finals

Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina (via WTA Tennis)

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Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek was at the center of controversy during her second Round Robin match at the ATP Finals. The 2023 champion lost 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 to Elena Rybakina.

After the match, Swiatek decided not to shake the hand of the chair umpire. Moreover, her handshake with Rybakina was pretty dull too.

Perhaps, Swiatek wasn’t amused by her level in the last couple of sets against the 2022 Wimbledon champion. However, the good thing is that she has time to get it right in her final round robin match.

With both Amanda Anisimova and Swiatek locked at one win out of two matches, their final round robin encounter gathers even more weight. They have recently had encounters at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Fans call out Iga Swiatek for reckless behavior

Right after the match was over, the fans on X took Iga Swiatek to the cleaners. Many believe that this is not the first time that the Polish icon has acted like a sore loser.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)

Swiatek has had a roller coaster season. She went six months of the season without any titles and then won Wimbledon out of nowhere.

This inconsistency has been symbolic in her WTA Finals campaign so far. She looked ruthless against Madison Keys two days ago, and then struggled to maintain that level against Elena Rybakina.

Last year, she was knocked out in the group stages of the WTA Finals despite winning two matches. The Polish icon is hoping to win a second WTA Finals title in her career.

Elena Rybakina reaches semifinals of the WTA Finals

Elena Rybakina snapped her four-match losing streak against Iga Swiatek on Monday. She fought back to defeat the world No. 2 by 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in just under 100 minutes. The win lifted her to a 2-0 record at the WTA Finals and placed her at the top of the Serena Williams Group.

Elena Rybakina (via X/The Tennis Letter)
Elena Rybakina (via X/The Tennis Letter)

Later in the day, Amanda Anisimova’s victory over Madison Keys confirmed Rybakina’s place in the semifinals. It marks the first time in her career that she has advanced beyond the round-robin stage of the WTA Finals.

With this triumph, Rybakina became only the second player in 2025 to defeat Swiatek after losing the opening set. The only other player to do so this season was Keys at the Australian Open.

Swiatek now holds a 54-2 record in matches where she wins the first set. Meanwhile, Rybakina improves to 8-15 this year when coming from behind after dropping the opener.

Also Read: Italian Tennis President Lifts Lid on the Participation of Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals