Tennis Prodigy Iga Swiatek Candidly Addresses Her Middle East Swing Discontent
Iga Swiatek, the tennis world’s young sensation, recently opened up about her vexation during the Middle East swing, attributing it to her expectations of performing better.
In the period between 2022 and 2024, the Polish tennis star boasted an impressive three-peat in Doha and clinched the runner-up spot in Dubai in 2023, reaching the semifinals the following year too. Having had a history of success in the Middle East, this year’s swing proved to be a different narrative. Swiatek was just two victories shy of claiming her fourth consecutive title in Doha, only to be thwarted by Jelena Ostapenko in a crushing 6-3, 6-1 semifinal defeat. A week later, the world No. 2 faced another unexpected loss, knocked out by Mirra Andreeva in the Dubai quarterfinals.
In an unusual display of frustration, the five-time Grand Slam champion smashed her racket during the match against Ostapenko.
Responding to queries about her evident frustration during the Middle East swing, the 23-year-old candidly stated, “Well, everybody is annoyed and angry when they lose. I was expecting a bit better results in terms of just which round I lost, you know, in Doha and Dubai.”
Swiatek proceeded to acknowledge the increased competition in recent tournaments, comparing performance stats from past years to this year. “I was annoyed, but who isn’t, you know? I think in tennis it’s important to just let it go and focus on the future, and I have been doing it pretty well, you know. I’m not expecting to win every tournament,” she added.
During her conversation, Swiatek also took a jab at the balls used in Doha and Dubai, describing them as “pretty terrible” and likening them to “potatoes.”
Despite the Middle East swing setbacks, the former world No. 1 has bounced back in Indian Wells, where she blazed past Karolina Muchova (6-1, 6-1), securing a quarterfinal match against Zheng Qinwen. This puts her in a strong position to defend her title successfully.