Iga Swiatek addressed the accusations made against her and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka by the director of WTA Dubai, Salah Tahlak, which stemmed from their “strange” late withdrawals from the WTA 1000 event.
In February, Swiatek and Sabalenka were harshly criticised for their last-minute withdrawals from the Dubai Open. Sabalenka and Swiatek opted out of Dubai to prioritize their fitness and manage minor setbacks.
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Tahlak had demanded strong action against the duo, claiming they should face severe penalties, including deductions from their ranking points. Following the backlash, the Belarusian had declared that she wouldn’t return to compete in Dubai again.
Ahead of her campaign opener, Swiatek gave her honest opinion, stating she wasn’t aware of the complaints. While weighing on the demands of Tahlak, the 24-year-old Pole called it “ridiculous” and said a player has every right to skip the tournament in the best interest of their fitness.
“I was unaware of the complaints from the director of WTA Dubai. I hadn’t heard about it. I’d heard the complaints, but not about the sanctions, probably because it’s a bit ridiculous. We have the right to withdraw whenever we want. I honestly don’t see the problem. If we’re not in good physical condition or we feel it’s not the right time to play a tournament, what are we, slaves? We can decide. Besides, we already received zero ranking points. That’s punishment enough,” Iga Swiatek said.
The six-time Grand Slam champion will return to action in the French Open, kicking off her campaign against Emerson Jones.
Iga Swiatek fully backs 15-minute Media Day protest at Roland Garros
Apart from the controversy in Dubai, Iga Swiatek is also embroiled in the ongoing drama in Paris. Top players are relentlessly protesting against Grand Slam organisers over their 15% revenue share.
At the Italian Open, Sabalenka and defending champion Coco Gauff have already suggested a possible boycott of the prestigious event. Players have decided to leave the press conference on media day after 15 minutes, which is believed to be a symbolic gesture. Swiatek joined the movement but assured that they respect the media and their fight is against the top brass.
“Yes, I’ll also do just 15 minutes. I’m following the format. So, excuse me, do you want to spend time on this question or would you prefer to continue? Yes, I’m participating. Well, first of all, I feel that none of us have anything against the media, obviously, and we totally respect you. We know how important our relationship is,” Iga Swiatek said.
“But with tournaments, I feel that we’ll do more for the tournaments when they do more for us. And not just for the top players, because obviously we’re the ones who have the most contact with you, but also for the lower-ranked players and the entire structure in general. So personally, it’s nothing against you, but this is the decision we’ve made and we’re going to stick to it,” she added.
As the off-court controversy continues, it is yet to be seen how players and the organisers will arrive at an agreement.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh
