“I don’t think Iga Swiatek has to do that,” John McEnroe criticises the World No. 1 for ‘illegal’ method to distract opponent at the US Open
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John McEnroe and Iga Swiatek
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has been a brilliant Tour leader ever since her ascension to the top of the WTA rankings earlier this year. Swiatek, 21, has been a vocal advocate for support for war-torn Ukraine and has been playing with a Ukrainian flag pin on her cap since the war broke out.
Since the end of the Clay season, Iga is yet to win a title with a couple of early losses as well much to the surprise of fans as the Pole had been fabulous in the first half of the season and owing to it, currently leads the Tour with more than 4000 ranking points separating her and World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit.
“Thatis a little below the belt,” John McEnroe on the incident involving Iga Swiatek
Swiatek during her 3rd round clash with Lauren Davis tried to throw her opponent off by jumping in the air and her hands wide apart during the second set when Davis was leading 2-0 and the game was tied at 30-30. Although Davis won the point, Swiatek was criticised for her actions.
“I don’t know about that. I don’t think that’s legal…that is a little bit below the belt. The last time I saw that was when I was playing in 1986 I believe and [Mansour] Bahrami came in and served, and put his hands wide open and said, ‘Hit me’. And my partner Peter Fleming hit him in the forehead.
“And I said, ‘He’s a joke, this guy! I don’t understand what he’s doing. This is serious’. And Bahrami was like ‘Good shot Peter, good shot!’ He loved it. I don’t think Swiatek has to do that. She’s so good it seems…but she’ll learn. She’s 21,” said John McEnroe speaking on Eurosport.
With many opinions coming in, Swiatek will be ignoring them as the rulebook does not discourage the practice however it is not very sportsmanlike to try distracting your opponent in the middle of the shot with antics like that.
Iga is now into the quarter-finals after a comeback win over Jule Niemeier and will take on 8th seeded Jessica Pegula for a place in the semi-finals of the Grand Slam as she looks to win her 3rd career major and 1st on any surface other than clay.
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Sarthak Shitole
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