(Video) Victoria Azarenka Clashes With Chair Umpire Over Iga Swiatek’s Delaying Tactics in Bad Homburg

Belarusian veteran Victoria Azarenka lost to Iga Swiatek in straight sets in the Round of 16 at Bad Homburg.

(Video) Victoria Azarenka Clashes With Chair Umpire Over Iga Swiatek’s Delaying Tactics in Bad Homburg

Victoria Azarenka clashed with the umpire over Iga Swiatek's 'antics' (via The Tennis Letter)

Belarusian tennis star Victoria Azarenka was involved in a heated discussion with the chair umpire with regards to the time wasting tactics of Iga Swiatek. The incident happened in the last game of the match when Swiatek was serving for it.

The Polish star was down 15/30 when she failed her ball toss. Azarenka took objection to it and complained to the chair umpire about Swiatek taking too long to serve. She said to the chair umpire:

Every time it’s the same story. As soon as she’s down in the game, she’s taking her time. Like over the time. And you’re not checking. Every time.

Swiatek wasn’t impressed by Azarenka’s actions and fired a service winner. Eventually, the Polish star won the match and took home her 300th career win.

Swiatek is looking to prepare herself for Wimbledon after not being able to defend her Roland Garros crown. The Polish superstar lost in the third round last year at SW19.

Iga Swiatek dominates Victoria Azarenka

Former World No.1 Iga Swiatek delivered a strong performance at the Bad Homburg Open, defeating Victoria Azarenka in straight sets. The match ended with a 6-4, 6-4 win for the Polish player, who looked sharp and focused throughout. With this result, she advanced to the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 tournament.

Iga Swiatek (4)
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Azarenka had the early advantage in the opening set, jumping to a 4-1 lead. However, Swiatek quickly turned things around. She won 12 points in a row to even the score at 4-4 and then maintained momentum to take the set 6-4. Her confidence grew as the match progressed.

In the second set, Azarenka continued to compete hard but couldn’t keep up with Swiatek’s consistency. The world No. 8 used her shot placement and movement to gain the upper hand. She broke serve at key moments and stayed steady under pressure to finish the set 6-4 once again.

Swiatek’s serving numbers and break point success highlighted her control of the match. The win not only moves her closer to a possible title but also shows she’s ready to challenge expectations on grass. It was a promising sign as she builds form ahead of Wimbledon.

Iga Swiatek reaches career milestone

Iga Swiatek began her 2025 grass-court season with a solid win over Victoria Azarenka at the Bad Homburg Open. It was her first match on grass since a third-round exit at Wimbledon last year and her first match overall since losing in the French Open semi-finals. Swiatek, seeded fourth, had a first-round bye and faced Azarenka, a qualifier and former world No. 1.

Iga Swiatek (X/Jimmie48photography)
Iga Swiatek (X/Jimmie48photograph)

The Pole started slowly, falling behind 1-4 in the opening set. However, she found her rhythm and came back to win 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 36 minutes. The result marked an important personal milestone — her 300th career tour-level victory. She achieved this in just 372 matches, making her the 11th-fastest woman in WTA history to hit the mark.

Only Serena Williams has reached 300 wins in fewer matches in recent decades, doing so in just 359. For Swiatek, this performance comes at a time when she’s aiming to rediscover her best form. She hasn’t won a title or reached a final since lifting the French Open trophy in June 2024.

Currently ranked No. 8, Swiatek is at her lowest position since 2021 and will be seeded eighth at Wimbledon — her lowest Slam seeding in years. She has yet to reach a final on grass. Her next match at Bad Homburg will be a quarter-final clash against either Ekaterina Alexandrova or Maria Sakkari, who face off in the second round.

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