Tennis fans were less than impressed by Iga Swiatek’s seemingly diplomatic stand on the 2023 WTA Finals court controversy.
Following a 7-6 (3), 6-0 victory over Marketa Vondrousova in her opening match at the WTA Finals, Iga Swiatek was asked to share her thoughts on the hardcourt surface used for the event.
Several competitors, including Vondrousova, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, have opined that the court is not up to the mark. They lasted the WTA for the ‘disrespect’ shown towards the top players as a result.
Swiatek concurred with her colleagues’ sentiments but declared that she would be focusing on her job instead of finding flaws with the court.
“Obviously, it’s not a positive thing for any of us, but I think, the main thing is not focusing on that, and just doing your job,” she said in her post-match press conference. “Sometimes, it bounces weirdly on clay or on grass as well. I tried to think in that perspective and just do my job.”
“At the end, it doesn’t really matter because all of us have the same court and the same conditions,” she added.
Iga Swiatek’s statement did not sit well with the tennis fans online. Many denounced her for not standing by her fellow competitors.
“Do better Iga the other players are complaining and that’s all you have to say? what a shame, I expected more from an ex number 1 who complained so much about the conditions…” one fan wrote on X.
Others opined that the former World No. 1 should have called the WTA out on its incompetence.
“This sort of “well you gotta keep your head down and do your job” attitude from a top player is why WTA doesn’t feel enough pressure to actually change things,” one fan wrote.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Iga Swiatek one win away from booking her spot in the WTA Finals 2023 semifinals
<img class="lazy-img" width="1920" height="1280" data-img="https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg" alt="Iga Swiatek at the 2023 WTA Finals" data-img-low="https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=840" src="data:image/svg+xml,” srcset=”https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=840 840w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://news.myworldfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/b7dc3-16988461537869-1920.jpg 1920w”>With her victory over Marketa Vondrousova, Iga Swiatek now finds herself one win away from a spot in her second consecutive WTA Finals semifinals. The Pole is set to face Coco Gauff on Wednesday, November 1. The 19-year-old defeated Ons Jabeur 6-0, 6-1 in her opener.
The winner of the Swiatek-Gauff clash will be the first person from the Chetumal group to advance to the final four of the WTA Finals. The player who falls short in the fixture will get another chance to make the semifinals in their respective final round-robin matches.
Meanwhile, in the Bacalar group, Jessica Pegula has already qualified for the semifinals and Maria Sakkari is out of contention. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, who are gearing up for a clash on Thursday, November 2, will battle for their group’s second and final semifinals spot.