Tennis star Iga Swiatek has spoken after her meltdown that made her every ball kid’s worst nightmare.
“I expressed frustration in a way I’m not proud of,” Swiatek wrote in an Instagram post. “My intention was never to aim the ball at anyone but merely release my frustration by bouncing it on the ground.”
Swiatek is the former No. 1 women’s player in the world and was on a 10-match winning streak before falling to 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals at Indian Wells on Sunday.
During the loss, her frustration mounted when she received a ball from the ball person and smacked it right back in his direction, narrowly missing him.
“I immediately apologized to the ball boy, we made eye contact, and nodded to each other when I expressed regret that it happened near him,” Swiatek added.
Swiatek has a polarizing reputation, as she’s received backlash for a number of different things.
Most notably, Swiatek tested positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine, a heart medication also referred to as TMZ, in August 2024, leading to a one-month suspension.
“The second half of last year was extremely challenging for me, especially due to the positive doping test and how circumstances completely beyond my control took away my chance to fight for the highest sporting goals at the end of the season,” Swiatek said.
Swiatek said her frustrations lead to many of her acts of poor sportsmanship.
“I know that playing while stuck in my past frustrations, over things beyond my control, isn’t the right path,” she said. “Shifting perspective takes significant time, effort, and team support.”
While accepting criticism, Swiatek pointed out double standards with how she’s perceived by the public eye’s “constant judgment.”
“When I’m highly focused and don’t show many emotions on the court, I’m called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman,” Swiatek said. “Now that I’m more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I’m suddenly labeled as immature or hysterical. That’s not a healthy standard.”
Swiatek said she will continue to work on herself despite occasional bumps in the road — like the incident at Indian Wells.
“Working on oneself isn’t something you achieve once and keep forever. Sometimes we take two steps forward and one step back,” Swiatek said. “It’s never easy, and it’s particularly challenging for me right now. … I truly believe that even if I occasionally take two steps forward and one step back, I’ll reach these goals at my own pace.”