"Proof WTA is broke af" "This is what they give to winning best player of the whole year" - Iga Swiatek being given a "puny" trophy shocks fans

Iga Swiatek has been named the 2023 WTA Player of the Year. However, the fans have reacted sharply to the trophy she was handed.

Swiatek, the current WTA World No. 1, won her first title of 2023 at the Qatar Open. She found her best form during the clay season, as she stormed to the Stuttgart Open title before winning her fourth Major at the French Open. The Pole also triumphed on home soil as she won the Poland Open.

Despite briefly being displaced at the top of the WTA rankings by Aryna Sabalenka after a disappointing US Open, Swiatek bounced back in style by winning the China Open. She then triumphed at the year-end WTA Finals, where she won the title without dropping a set.

Even though Swiatek's 2023 campaign was statistically less impressive than her 2022 season, she still did enough to be named the Player of the Year by the WTA. The apex body of women's tennis also gave her a trophy, but fans on social media were left rather shocked by it.

One user found it hard to swallow that Swiatek was given a relatively small trophy for her illustrious year.

"Can’t get over this is what they give to winning the best player of the whole year," the user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Another user wrote that the trophy is "proof" that the WTA is in dire straits financially.

"Proof the WTA is broke af. Smh #justiceforPOTY,"

Yet another user took a swipe at the WTA for handing the World No. 1 a "puny" trophy.

"The WTA should have those huge trophies too, instead it’s puny."

Iga Swiatek set to face either Danielle Collins or Erika Andreeva at the Indian Wells Open

Iga Swiatek at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships

Being the top seed in the women's main draw at the Indian Wells Open, Swiatek has received a first-round bye. The 4-time Grand Slam winner will start her Indian Wells campaign on 9 March against either Danielle Collins or Erika Andreeva in the Round of 64.

Collins and Andreeva's Round of 128 match was suspended due to rain, with the American leading 7-6(3), 6-5. It was one of 14 matches that were postponed on the first day of the main draw action.

If Andreeva manages to turn things around against Collins, she will set up her first match against Swiatek. However, if Collins progresses, she will face the Pole for the seventh time.

Swiatek leads the head-to-head against Collins 5-1, with the American's only victory coming in the semifinals of the 2022 Australian Open.