5 times Iga Swiatek was targeted by tennis legends ft. Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe

World No.1 Iga Swiatek has already cemented her status as one of tennis's all-time greats at 23 years of age. Having held her position at the pinnacle for 117 weeks, she is no stranger to the highs of sport and the criticism that comes with it.

A five-time Major winner and bronze medalist at the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, the Pole has a swagger and unwavering confidence about her that could upset a few. She has, arguably unfairly, been subject to distasteful comments many a time in the past, often coming from tennis legends themselves.

Here are five times when Iga Swiatek was targeted by notable figures in the world of tennis:

#1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov

The 23-year-old came under the spotlight recently, following her qualification to the semifinals of the Cincinnati Masters which she eventually lost, for her comments regarding the unrelenting schedule for WTA players. The Pole has been a champion of her cause for a while now.

In the post-match interview with Sky Sports, Swiatek reiterated her thoughts on the current WTA schedule which leaves no breathing space with events coming at you non-stop and how it makes tennis "less fun."

"It's not gonna end well as it's just it makes tennis less fun for us. Let's just say, I mean, obviously, I love playing all these places but it's pretty exhausting," Swiatek said.

In response, former World No.1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, belligerently told Swiatek that all she did was "complain", further saying that she deserved to get paid less.

"Is someone pushing you to play ??? All you fricking do is complain!! I’ll tell you what you deserve! You deserve to get paid a lot less than you do now!! How about that??✌️😉," Kafelnikov said via X.

#2 Martina Navratilova

Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins faced off in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics where the latter retired in the deciding set, sending Swiatek through.

The match sparked controversy as both players took extended off-court breaks. This was allowed under the Excessive Weather Policy in place, which permitted breaks up to 10 minutes.

18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova, who has criticized Swiatek in the past, was quick to react sarcastically. She responded to a journalist's tweet, saying:

"Guess how many times I went to the bathroom in my whole career in some 1700 matches?"

#3 John McEnroe

A household name in the 80s and the pioneer of the "bad boy" image, seven-time singles Major winner John McEnroe resorted to misogynistic comments, directed at Swiatek, during her triumph at Roland Garros.

Swiatek, who had then recently become a brand ambassador for French luxury cosmetics company Lancome, cruised to victory in straight sets against Jasmine Paolini.

Amidst the game, McEnroe made some distasteful comments, hinting at her recent brand deal. He asked his fellow commentator if Swiatek would "throw on a little makeup" for the right price, sparking outrage on social media.

"You think if they offer her enough, Lancome, maybe she (Iga Swiatek) would consider throwing on a little makeup for the right price?" McEnroe said.

#4 CoCo Vandeweghe

Iga Swiatek recently came under fire for taking an extended toilet break after losing the first set in her hard-fought victory against Mirra Andreeva in the 2024 Cincinnati Open.

The Pole has been criticized in the past for taking long breaks following set losses in an attempt to disrupt her opponent's rhythm. Former player CoCo Vandeweghe, currently covering the Cincinnati Masters with Tennis Channel, has joined in, stating she would be "aware" of Iga Swiatek's schemes had she still been playing.

"It's been spoken about, Iga's tactic of going to the bathroom, changing her kit, taking her time, ALWAYS after losing a set. If I was still playing, I would definitely be very aware of it... she's trying to disrupt my rhythm...," the American reportedly said.

#5 Caitlin Thompson

Caitlin Thompson is the co-host of a podcast along with Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs.

Following Swiatek's resounding victory at the 2024 French Open, Thompson, who is reportedly not a fan of the Pole, lashed out at her while making harmful and false comments against the 23-year-old.

She is alleged to have likened the current World No. 1 to former holder, Justine Henin, for their seemingly similar looks and is also said to have called the duo "spectrum-y" (a term used to hint that the individuals display characteristics exhibited by those with autism spectrum disorder, often used derogatorily.)

Thompson's insensitive comments left many shocked with people even calling out Stubbs for being complicit in the incident.