Iga Swiatek‘s coaching carousel continues to spin. Fresh from her split with long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, the tennis world has been rife with speculation about the reasons behind their parting. While both parties have insisted there was no animosity, whispers of tension have persisted. One recurring theme in these rumors has been Wiktorowski’s perceived discomfort with Swiatek’s close relationship with her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz. Renowned commentator Lech Sidor recently echoed these concerns, questioning the “blurred border” between the two.

During an appearance on the Eurosport podcast, Sidor shared his observations, saying, “I have had the impression a few times, but this is only my subjective assessment, it has nothing to do with the broader generality, that Wiktorowski is a bit irritated by the whole situation.” Sidor went on to explain that sports psychologists are also questioning the nature of Swiatek and Abramowicz’s 24/7 working relationship.

“I know that the world of sports psychology is a bit surprised that Daria is everywhere with her [Świątek — editor’s note], that she works 24/7, that the line between professionalism and private life is a bit blurred. These lines have been blurred, there is a bit too much of it,” he added further.

Sidor further expressed his hope that Swiatek would address these concerns head-on. “I would like Iga to one fine day […] explain briefly the genesis of the employment. Recently, even in two sentences, one could hear the justification why this and not another trainer was found, just as I would like her to put an end to all these speculations, insinuations about how they [Świątek and Abramowicz — editor’s note] function. There are a lot of rumours. Maybe this decisive, even a bit brutal, statement would put an end to all these speculations.”

“For me, the most important thing is the final result. I look at what’s happening on the court. If she starts losing, if it falls apart, then we’ll have to look for someone to blame, whether it’s the player herself, the coach, the psychologist or the team,” Sidor concluded the topic.

Speculations have made a huge impact on Iga Swiatek both directly and indirectly. Responding to the claims once and for all, Iga Swiatek’s psychologist, Daria Abramoicz, came ahead and made her thoughts clear on how the opinion of “experts” impacts the team.

Iga Swiatek’s psychologist opens up on how ‘expert’ opinions take the team ‘2 steps back’

Iga Swiatek has faced a challenging period recently, particularly after parting ways with her longtime coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski. During this time, her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, shared her concerns about how the social world has been affecting Swiatek’s emotions. Abramowicz admitted that external factors, especially the social environment, have taken a toll on Swiatek’s emotional well-being.

Earlier this year, Swiatek competed at the Games, where she fought hard but lost in the semifinals to Qinwen Zheng, the eventual gold medalist. Although Swiatek returned with a bronze medal, the loss was difficult for her to process, especially since she was favored to win the gold. The pressure of high expectations weighed heavily on her, leading to a flood of emotions.

In the aftermath, much discussion arose around players controlling their emotions, especially in high-pressure situations. However, Abramowicz expressed her frustration with these conversations, saying, “We seem to be making progress in terms of social awareness and suddenly some enlightened opinion from an ‘expert’ takes us back two steps.”

Abramowicz suggested that emotional responses vary from player to player. Also, it’s unrealistic to apply one-size-fits-all solutions to how athletes manage their feelings during intense moments.