Nine days ago, Iga Swiatek displayed unmatched dominance to become the first Polish player ever to win a Wimbledon singles title. But her path to glory wasn’t without its hurdles. Before this, her last title came at the 2024 French Open. A combination of poor form and a one-month doping suspension had placed her under an intense spotlight — and not for the right reasons. Reflecting on that difficult time, Swiatek admitted it was like “three weeks crying daily,” with her “career hanging in the balance.”
Addressing her journey, Swiatek also opened up about the growing scrutiny over her on-court demeanor. “I clearly see how much (people) love judging, creating theories, and imposing opinions on others. When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labelled as inhuman. Now that I’m more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I’m suddenly labeled immature or hysterical.”
According to Dominik Senkowski of Sport.pl, the Polish media have been particularly harsh during this phase of her career, with her losses being treated almost as a “national tragedy.” Much of this criticism was visible ahead of Wimbledon.
But her emphatic 6-0, 6-0 win over America’s Amanda Anisimova silenced many of those doubters. Recently, Polish compatriot Jan Zielinski came to her defense in an interview with Sport.pl, saying, “So now she’s definitely taken a big step in the right direction. Hats off to her! Iga has proven to all her online and TV haters that she’s still the best tennis player in the world, that she’s a force to be reckoned with. Just because she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and then Roland Garros doesn’t mean it’s a bad season, and people were calling it Iga’s worst season in many years.” Swiatek currently holds a 42-11 win-loss record this season.
Speaking about the relentless criticism, Swiatek’s PR manager, Daria Sulgostowska, emphasized that their top priority is safety. Her team actively monitors the internet to identify abusive content. While constructive criticism is acceptable, she noted, threats, hate speech, or interference with training are unacceptable.
Volleyball star Joanna Wolosz also weighed in, stating that anyone criticizing Swiatek should try renting a court, gripping a racket, and playing themselves — then reconsider. Zielinski added that there’s much to learn from how Swiatek handles herself on and off the court.
Day Eleven: The Championships – Wimbledon 2025 LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 10: Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates after winning match point against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during the Ladies Singles semi-final match on day eleven of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2025 in London, England. Photo by Visionhaus via London All England Lawn Tennis and Croq England United Kingdom Copyright: xVisionhausx 776305101Even tennis legend Andy Roddick couldn’t ignore the media noise. In defense of Swiatek, he bluntly said, “I’m sorry, if you are a sports journalist in Poland and you are crushing Iga on a week-to-week basis, you are a f—–g moron.”
Iga Swiatek hits back at her critics after her Wimbledon triumph
Before Wimbledon began, most expected Swiatek to bounce back during the clay swing. But after failing to defend her French Open crown, she instead stunned the tennis world by finding success on her least favored surface. She made the final at the Bad Homburg Open and then lifted the trophy at the All England Club.
Following her Wimbledon triumph, she directly addressed the critics: “For sure, the past months, how the media sometimes described me, I gotta say, unfortunately, Polish media, how they treated me and my team, it wasn’t really pleasant. I hope they will just leave me alone and let me do my job.” She acknowledged that expectations have risen with her success, but she’s now focused more on her own process, her own life, and her own career. What she values most now is the “freedom” to do things on her own terms.
As for what comes next, can Swiatek reclaim the world No. 1 spot from Aryna Sabalenka by the end of the year? Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, seems optimistic. He recently shared a tweet expressing confidence that Iga could retake the crown before the season wraps up.
What do you think — is another Swiatek reign on the horizon? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Iga Swiatek’s Compatriot Issues Bold Message to ‘TV Haters’ Over ‘Worst Season’ Claims appeared first on EssentiallySports.