Should Iga Swiatek be called out for her apparent "gamesmanship"? What Danielle Collins' Paris Olympics confrontation says about the Pole

Iga Swiatek claimed the women's singles bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She defeated Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-1, 6-2 in 59 minutes to earn the first-ever medal for Poland in tennis at the Games.

Swiatek missed the chance to compete in the gold and silver playoff in the finals after a semifinal loss to Qinwen Zheng. Zheng handed the four-time French Open champion and a heavy favorite for the gold medal her first defeat at Roland Garros since 2021.

Swiatek's on-court behavior after the loss did not go down well with some fans, sparking discussions on the Pole's gamesmanship.

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Iga Swiatek not shaking hands with the umpire after SF loss at the Olympics

During her semifinal clash against Zheng at the Games, Iga Swiatek contested the chair umpire's decision for the final point of the match. The chair umpire came down to see the mark on clay with Swiatek and upheld the decision of calling the ball in.

Zheng celebrated by waving at the crowd while Swiatek was visibly upset. She shook hands with her opponent but walked past the chair umpire.

The World No. 1 may have been under immense pressure for the gold in Paris, having lifted the French Open trophy on four of the last five occasions.

However, even in the face of defeat, customary gestures like shaking hands with the opponent on the net and with the chair umpire are some aspects of the game that fans have come to love and view as a mark of respect.

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Danielle Collins calling out Iga Swiatek's racquet holding on serve at their Olympics QF clash

Iga Swiatek had previously clashed with Danielle Collins in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics. Swiatek won 6-1, 2-6, 4-1 after Collins withdrew from the match due to dehydration and cramps.

During one of Collins' serves, Swiatek held up her racquet, prompting the former to speak out in frustration.

"There's like no one behind me. Play at the server's pace," Danielle Collins said.

While there may be a debate on what exactly a "server's pace" is, but to stop an opponent during serve may be viewed as a tactic to disrupt their rhythm, particularly if done at crucial points in the game.

In an interaction with the media after the match, Collins expressed her displeasure at Iga Swiatek's behavior. Collins was heavily criticized for using unkind words for a fellow player but there might be merit to what she had to say of Swiatek's on-court antics.

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Previous discussions on Iga Swiatek's gamesmanship

Swiatek had previously taken heat from fans when she similarly held up her racquet during Jessica Pegula's serve in the semifinals of the 2023 Montreal Open and Naomi Osaka's serve in the second round of the 2024 French Open.

The 23-year-old has also drawn the ire of fans for holding up her hands in the air on the net during rallies presumably to distract her opponent. In her clash against Donna Vekic at the 2022 San Diego Open which she eventually won, Swiatek made the same gesture. She later apologized to Vekic via social media.

A similar incident happened in the 2022 US Open final when Swiatek called for a racquet change during Ons Jabuer's serve. Swiatek eventually lifted the 2022 US Open trophy.

Swiatek opened up about her on-court actions in an interview with a Polish sports publication later that year.

"It is that. I can't control it, but I hope it will never happen again. We are working on it. It is a stress reaction to what is happening. It is an involuntary reaction. I did it during the US Open, and as I recall it was a stressful moment. In San Diego, I did it unconsciously. Right after the game I approached Donna and apologized," Swiatek said (via sports. pl in 2022).

"I'm aware of the many negative comments on the internet concerning this incident. I'm not proud of the fact, that sometimes I'm not in control of what I do on the court. It's a purely instinctual behavior," she added.

The decision of whether a player's gestures are causing a hindrance lies with the chair umpire. However, repeated incidents of Iga Swiatek's gamesmanship are bound to raise questions on whether they are "involuntary" or attempts to throw off her opponent.