"Shouldn’t Iga Swiatek be fined";"Horrible abuse of MTO" - Fans slam Pole over 'lame excuse' for medical timeout in United Cup loss to Coco Gauff

Iga Swiatek's explanation for her medical timeout during her clash with Coco Gauff in the 2025 United Cup final has not gone down well with tennis fans. With the title on the line, Gauff claimed an impressive 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Pole to put Team USA ahead in the thrilling contest.

However, the match was not as straightforward as the scoreline suggested, with Swiatek courting controversy by taking a medical timeout before her service game when Gauff led 5-4 in the second set.

During her post-match press conference, Iga Swiatek candidly admitted that she hadn't suffered an injury but called for the medical timeout because she was "tired" and fatigued from her workload at the event.

"Well, taping wasn't a different leg, but nothing happened really. Like, I was just tired. You know, the volume at the beginning of the tournament especially has been pretty big, so yeah, but honestly, like, this really, it's all good," Iga Swiatek said.

However, fans were baffled by Swiatek admitting to her "horrible abuse" of the medical timeout and called for the 23-year-old to receive a hefty fine.

"And in the press conference Swiatek revealed the reason for the MTO was because she was tired. Horrible abuse of the MTO and I'm amazed she admitted it," one fan posted.

"Maybe Iga Swiatek shouldn’t have been this honest because this doesn’t look good on her. Shouldn’t she be fined for taking an MTO just because she was tired?" another fan chimed in.

"Her honesty should come with a heavy fine and forfeiting the points, per the WTA rulebook. Admitting to taking a fake MTO is serious, not to mention it being so close to the end of the match when the opponent has momentum. And she’s coming off a drug suspension. The picture of health and stamina and fitness does this on her first event of the year after getting busted for having PEDs in her system… does no one find this suspicious?" a fan argued.

"Thats not a good thing to do. this excuse was lame tbh," said another.

Others, meanwhile, lashed out at Iga Swiatek for using "distasteful gamesmanship" tactics, accusing the Pole of attempting to disrupt Coco Gauff's momentum.

"Iga’s on court behavior is so tiring at times. She would rather resort to gamesmanship than think through the problem posed in front of her which is why when she is not dominating from the beginning she ends up losing. The gamesmanship is just distasteful…MTO because you are too tired? What in the?" one fan commented.

"Wow, well at least she was… honest? Geez Coco was on fire at that point of the match, and anyone who knows tennis knows that a random stoppage like that could cool a player off and get in their head, right at the deciding moments of the set," another fan wrote.

"She's a bad sport, always has been, nothing new here," a fan remarked.

"Always gamesmanship. Calling the physio because you're tired from the "workload" which, mind you, your opponent also had, is nasty work," said yet another.

Iga Swiatek turns her attention to Australian Open 2025 after United Cup loss

Iga Swiatek - Source: Getty

During the same press conference, Iga Swiatek expressed satisfaction with her campaign at the 2025 United Cup despite her loss to Coco Gauff, emphasizing her focus on making improvements and being in the best form for the Australian Open.

"But overall I'm really happy with the week. I feel like things I worked on really improved. But on the other hand, like, you know, this week, Australian Open is a different story, so still I'm gonna do everything step by step and continue the work that I have been doing," Iga Swiatek said.

The World No. 2 is aiming to claim her maiden title at the Melbourne Slam, the main draw action of which commences on January 12. Swiatek will have a difficult task ahead of her, having only advanced past the fourth round at the Major once, with her semifinal finish in 2022.

Iga Swiatek will aim to improve on her disappointing run at last year's Australian Open, which ended in a shock upset at the hands of Linda Noskova in the third round.