"Iga Swiatek handled it best" - Pole given credit by Andrea Petkovic for 'powerful' management of doping row & controversy

Former tennis professional Andrea Petkovic lauded Iga Swiatek's handling of her 2024 doping case, which turned controversial after several players alleged seemingly lenient punishment. The Polish player had tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine in an out-of-competition drug test in August 2024.

Swiatek was handed a provisional three-week ban after the positive drug test, missing three high-profile tournaments in the Korea Open, China Open, and Wuhan Open. She was later handed a one-month ban after the ITIA ruled that she hadn't taken the banned medication intentionally.

The 23-year-old posted an explanatory video on her Instagram handle following the announcement of her one-month suspension, clarifying her position on the case.

"In the last 2.5 months I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence. The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low level of a banned substance I’ve never heard about before, put everything I’ve worked so hard for my entire life into question," Iga Swiatek said.

While the Pole still received criticism, former World No.9 Andrea Petkovic lauded her handling of the case through a detailed Instagram message. Speaking in the latest episode of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, Doping on Brokeback Mountain, the 38-year-old claimed Pole had handled the case best among all tennis players.

"I think Iga Swiatek handled it the best of all players with her videos, speaking right down the barrel, in her language where she feels most comfortable with the translation of course and subtitles," she said [23:11 onwards].

Petkovic further added that her respect for the five-time Grand Slam champion had increased following her 'powerful' explanation.

"I was really moved by because you could see the stress, the distress, the relief that it's over and just explaining right down the barrel as if she was looking into your eyes, I thought that was really powerful from her and I have to say she really gained by respect and appreciation about what she did there. I think that's really hard," she added.

Petkovic won seven WTA titles in her career before announcing retirement after a first-round exit at the 2022 US Open, which was later won by Swiatek.

---

Iga Swiatek's father slams experts for false 'assumptions' Pole's doping saga

2023 WTA Finals - Iga Swiatek with father Tomasz Swiatek (Source: Getty)

Iga Swiatek's father and Olympian Tomasz Swiatek slammed the critics and experts for making false assumptions about her daughter following the doping controversy. Speaking in an interview with SportoweFakty, he said (via Tennis World USA):

"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. 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."

The 60-year-old further added she wanted her daughter to be treated like a person with emotions, not like a machine that was insensitive to everything.

"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," he added

Iga Swaitek went through a rollercoaster ride on the WTA tour in 2024, shining in the first half before losing her touch in the latter, particularly after the provisional ban in September. The 23-year-old lost her World No.1 ranking but ended the season with five titles including the French Open.