Iga Swiatek Reflects on Suspension and Emotional Toll Ahead of Australian Open

Iga Swiatek Reflects on Suspension Before Australian Open

Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2 and a five-time Grand Slam champion, revealed her emotional struggles following a one-month suspension for testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine in August 2024. Having served her suspension in November and December, Swiatek is now eligible to compete in the Australian Open 2025.

Emotional Struggles and Doubts

Speaking on the Tennis Insider Club podcast, Swiatek shared the personal impact of the doping case. “It was terrible,” she admitted. “I don’t love tennis enough to endure this again. If it happens a second time, I don’t think I can handle it.”

Swiatek explained how the situation left her feeling isolated. “I couldn’t go on court for two weeks. It felt like tennis put me in this place. I feared people would turn their backs on me.”

The Suspension and Its Causes

Swiatek’s positive test came to light in September, leading to a provisional suspension. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) later revealed that the test result was due to contamination in a regulated non-prescription medication, melatonin, which Swiatek used for jet lag and sleep issues.

“I had no idea what had happened,” Swiatek said. “We had to send supplements to labs and wait for results. It was chaotic and terrifying, not knowing if I faced two years, three months, or something else.”

Her team worked tirelessly to prove her innocence, ultimately succeeding when ITIA accepted the contamination explanation.

Feeling Misunderstood

Swiatek expressed frustration with how she was treated during the investigation. “Even if you’re at peace knowing you did nothing wrong, they treat you like a liar,” she stated. “It’s the law, but it’s tough to accept.”

Despite these challenges, Swiatek reflected on lessons learned. “My team told me not to expect anything and focus on finding the contamination source. Step by step, we proved my innocence.”

Return to Form

Swiatek returned to competition at the Billie Jean King Cup and the WTA Finals in Riyadh before starting the new season at the United Cup in Perth. Leading Poland to the final, she won matches against Katie Boulter and Elena Rybakina but was defeated by Coco Gauff in her final match.

As Swiatek prepares for the Australian Open, her resilience and determination remain evident. Fans and analysts alike will be watching to see how she performs after overcoming this significant challenge.