Iga Swiatek wore her heart on her sleeve, shedding tears after her semi-final heartbreak in Paris. Though her dream of gold was dashed, she still walked away with a bronze medal. But her success was greeted with a barrage of criticism, with many questioning everything from her strategy to her poise. But Tomasz to the rescue!

After her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, her father, Tomasz Świątek has finally come forth in the midst of this nasty storm, speaking up and standing tall to quiet the naysayers and support his daughter’s will.

In just 59 minutes, Swiatek defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova to win a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. A dream come true for the Swiatek family, her triumph not only signified her first Olympic gold but also created history as Poland’s first tennis Olympic medal.

Despite this historic victory, detractors were quick to jump on it, demanding to know why Swiatek’s failure to advance to the finals was met with no backup plan or alternate approach. Just a few days ago, Swiatek’s coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, stepped forward to address the criticism surrounding her performance. Now, her father has also spoken out, fiercely defending his daughter after her bronze medal victory.

He stated, “An Olympic medal is something special. I will say, perversely, that anyone who thinks it’s easy should try it themselves. It’s easy to judge from an armchair, but it looks different from the inside. It’s perceived differently in the stands or in front of the TV.”

Just a day ago, even Wiktorowski addressed Swiatek’s performance at the Paris Olympics in an interview with WP SportoweFakty, where he also took aim at critics. Wiktorowski’s annoyance was apparent when he was questioned about rumors that Swiatek had no backup plan. Subsequently, his rage grew when he heard commentator Sidor’s name and demanded to know which expert had made such claims.

The coach dismissed the criticisms, stating, “I value only those remarks that are respectable for me. I do not refer to the comments of people who sit in one place, were not outstanding players, or did not coach at the highest level.” However, even the world number one had previously spoken about having a Plan B for herself to win big.

When Iga Swiatek hinted about her ‘Plan B’

Ahead of her campaign at the French Open this year, Swiatek had expressed her determination to win big, stating, “I have more positive thoughts when I play. I also have a plan B if things don’t go well.” Even with her coach’s encouragement, it was difficult to console her following the extreme grief of the Olympic quarterfinals in Paris.

On the other hand, Swiatek, who is renowned for her tenacity, was so heartbroken by the defeat that she found it difficult to find the will to go for the bronze. Wiktorowski recently provided insight into Swiatek’s emotional struggles, exposing the challenges of rallying her for the bronze match. Moreover, her critics, though vocal, cannot diminish the significance of her success or the hard-earned respect she has earned on the global stage.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the critics? Do let us know in the comment section below.