Iga Świątek (ranked 1st in WTA) hasn't had the best streak since winning the French Open. First, she was knocked out in the third round of Wimbledon, then failed to win gold at the Paris Olympics, despite being the clear favorite. The Polish player also struggled in hard-court tournaments, losing in the semifinals of Cincinnati to Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 3-6, and then being defeated in the US Open quarterfinals by American Jessica Pegula (ranked 3rd in WTA) 6-2, 6-4.
Świątek is currently taking a break, recently announcing her withdrawal from the tournament in Beijing, and planning to skip the competition in Tokyo as well. Her decisions have sparked discussions and media speculation. A detailed piece exploring the situation surrounding the world’s top tennis player was recently published by "Polityka".
A Heavy Burden from Iga Świątek's Past
Part of the article, written by Marcin Piątek, delves into Świątek's family matters, which have largely been a taboo subject. It's known that Iga has a very close relationship with her father Tomasz and her sister Agata. However, little is said about her relationship with her mother, Dorota. "I watch most of the broadcasts of my daughter's matches. Iga is now an adult, independent, and self-sufficient. She doesn't need her mom to travel with her to tournaments. She has her own team. I always congratulate her on her titles, usually via email. However, our contact is quite limited," Dorota Świątek said in an interview with WP SportoweFakty in February this year.
Fans have often wondered about the current relationship between Świątek’s parents, as there hasn’t been much information on the topic in the media. In the "Polityka" article, it is revealed that Iga Świątek carries a significant emotional burden from unresolved issues in her past. The author states that Świątek’s parents divorced when she was a teenager, and her mother reportedly disappeared from the lives of her two daughters, who stayed with their father. Świątek’s contact with her mother was said to have even been severed.
The article in "Polityka" also sheds light on how Iga Świątek's early tennis career was funded.
"When Iga was a teenager, her parents divorced, and her mother, Dorota, suddenly disappeared from her daughters' lives. The division was clear: the father took care of Agata, while the mother traveled everywhere with Iga. The seriousness with which they approached their daughters' training required significant financial investment, and most of that burden fell on the mother, who ran a dental clinic near Warsaw. The father worked servicing photocopiers. After the divorce, both daughters stayed with Tomasz. Dorota didn't move or change her job, but her contact with Iga was cut off," revealed Marcin Piątek.
On Friday, Iga Świątek announced that she would not compete in the WTA 1000 tournament on hard courts in Beijing. "I know the fans will witness amazing tennis there, and I’m sorry I won’t be a part of it this time" - the Polish player wrote in a statement. The world's best tennis player also won't be participating in the tournament in Tokyo. This season, Świątek has a record of 60 wins and eight losses.
