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Iga Swiatek's father has revealed that the World No. 1 received "negative comments" after losing to Ukraine's Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon.
The Pole was seeded No. 1 at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships and was in fine form before facing Svitolina in the quarterfinals. After losing the first set Swiatek attempted to stage a comeback by winning the second. However, the Ukrainian eventually had the last laugh; she stunned Swiatek and the tennis world to reach her second semifinal at the tournament.
In a recent interview with Rzeczpospolita, the Pole's father, Tomasz Swiatek, talked about the criticism his daughter received after her loss to Svitolina at Wimbledon. The 58-year-old said receiving comments despite being open about her stance on the war was 'harmful.'
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In the past, the three-time French Open winner has spoken extensively about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She has also repeatedly expressed her opinion that she wants the war to end.
"It's her reflection. Playing with a ribbon on a hat, her views are clear – wants the war to end. Unfortunately, after the match with Elina Switolina, many negative comments appeared. It was harmful," her father stated.
He also asserted that one can't stay silent on a matter like the war. He added that Iga Swiatek always had a clear opinion on the subject and was consistent with it too.
"However, you cannot stand by such a topic as war. Iga has the right to her opinion. And she is consistent in this. The human harm that is not all who wants to talk about in Ukraine should be clear," he added.
What has Iga Swiatek said about the war?
Iga Swiatek has never shied away from expressing her opinion on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Since the beginning of the war, many top tennis stars have been criticized for not taking an open stance on the issue. However, the WTA World No. 1 has spoken about it on more than one occasion.
After winning the 2023 Qatar Open, the Pole addressed the war and urged everyone to support Ukrainians.
"We should also support Ukrainians in everything that they are coping with everyday. It’s pretty disappointing that the situation is not changing but hopefully they will stay strong," she said.
In a subsequent interview, the 22-year-old asserted that for her, war is more about people's sufferings than politics.
"War for me is not about politics, but about people's suffering, and that is why I decided to speak out," Iga Swiatek said.
She also said that it is important for athletes such as her to talk about the issue more and make an impact on society.
"As a Pole, from the beginning of the war in Ukraine, I was emotional about this issue. For me, it is important that we - athletes, public figures - have an impact on society. Our views shape others, and this can trigger change," she said.
Iga Swiatek is currently in Poland and will take on Nigina Abduraimova in the first round of the Poland Open.
