Iga Swiatek’s father Tomasz has spoken out against the unfounded criticisms directed at the World No. 1. Although the Pole clinched her fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open and won four WTA 1000 titles already this season, she has not been exempt from scrutiny.
The criticism for Swiatek intensified after her loss to Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics, since the Pole was seen as the outright favorite to clinch the women’s singles gold medal at Roland Garros.The defeat sparked discussions about the 23-year-old lacking a ‘Plan B’ in her game during crucial matches. However, her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski came to her defense, asserting that he disregarded criticism from those who were not top players or coaches and “didn’t know the realities of the current tennis tour.”
In an interview with WP SportoweFakty in August, Iga Swiatek’s father Tomasz revealed that he intentionally chose not to correct such “false assumptions” about his daughter, explaining that doing so would consume all his time.The 60-year-old also pointed out that the public opinion swung around dramatically, emphasizing that people were quick to lavish praise on Swiatek during her successful streaks only to immediately criticize the five-time Grand Slam champion when she had a single “stumble.”
“People write various things, but I decided from the beginning that I wouldn’t fight windmills. If I wanted to correct false assumptions, I wouldn’t do anything else, and I don’t have time for that,” he said.
“People evaluate things differently, but they have this in common: when things are going well, almost everyone praises, and when there’s one stumble or defeat, criticism begins immediately. It’s hard to say where this comes from,” he added.
Although Tomasz refrained from addressing specific criticisms, he sarcastically denounced the claims from so-called “experts” who were uniformed about the various factors that impacted a player’s performance. He argued that these critics’ assertions were “not supported by reality” and only served to create chaos.
“I won’t talk about specifics, because it doesn’t make sense. The point is that many “experts” speak up, although they have absolutely no idea about the factors that affect results and career or tennis development. They make theses that are often not supported by reality. This leads nowhere, and introduces chaos. However, I realize that I can’t fix the world on my own,” Iga Swiatek’s father said.
“I would like Iga Swiatek to feel appreciated even in her weaker moments” – Pole’s father Tomasz
During the same interview, Iga Swiatek’s father Tomasz clarified that he did not intend to put the World No. 1 on a pedestal or suggest she was exempt from criticism, but simply to highlight that she wasn’t a machine devoid of emotions.
The 60-year-old emphasized his desire for the five-time Grand Slam champion to receive support and appreciation even in her “weaker moments,” expressing his gratitude towards fans who left her positive comments during difficult times.
“I don’t mean to put her on a pedestal, but to treat her like a person who also needs support and is not a machine insensitive to everything. I would like her to feel appreciated even in her weaker moments. It’s great that there are many fans who give support and positive comments or messages even in difficult moments,” he said.
Iga Swiatek’s fitness coach Maciej Ryszczuk also recently defended her against claims that her defensive and athletic abilities had “fallen off massively” since her triumph at the 2022 US Open.
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