Five-time major champion Iga Świątek of Poland feared a much bigger public backlash after accepting a one-month suspension for failing a doping test, the world number two said ahead of the United Cup in Australia.
Świątek, 23, tested positive for trimetazidine in an out-of-competition swab in August, but the ITIA, which runs tennis’ anti-doping programme, admitted it was due to contamination in her sleeping pills.
She was provisionally suspended from September 12 to October 4, missing three tournaments, and served the final eight days of suspension after competing in November’s WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Świątek had won five titles this season, including a third consecutive French Open, before the suspension.
“Basically, the reaction in Poland – because that’s mostly what I’ve read – has been quite favorable. I really, really appreciate that because even, you know, when I missed the Chinese swing and no one knew why it wasn’t so easy,” she said.
Świątek had withdrawn from the China Open for personal reasons and missed the Canadian and Korean Opens citing fatigue.
“After the information about my case came out, you know, I was afraid that most people would turn their backs on me, but I felt support and it’s great,” she added.
Świątek’s case marked another embarrassing episode for the sport this year after the top men’s player, Italian Jannik Sinner, failed two drug tests in March.
He was exonerated by an independent tribunal which accepted his explanation of unintentional contamination, but news of the tests broke days before the US Open, casting an unwelcome spotlight on the incident.
Świątek acknowledged that the reaction had not been entirely positive, as some players alleged a double standard in the way doping cases of top players are handled compared to those of lower-ranked competitors.
“There are obviously going to be negative comments and you are not going to avoid them,” said Świątek, who lost his first place during the suspension.
“It’s, you know, something that’s always going to follow us no matter what happens in our lives.”
Reuters
