‘Lost All Respect’- Iga Swiatek Slammed By Australian Open Fans for Unsportsmanlike Act

Iga Swiatek is storming it up Down Under! The Polish star has reached her first Australian Open semifinal, dominating eighth seed Emma Navarro 6-1, 6-2 in straight sets. It’s a historic achievement for Swiatek, who’s looking to add the Melbourne title to her growing collection of 5 Grand Slams. But her quarterfinal victory didn’t come without its share of drama. A double bounce during the second set caused a stir, sparking an online frenzy.

At 2-2 in the second set, with Navarro earning her first break point of the match, the tension was already high. The American reached a game point with a perfect drop shot, seemingly out of Swiatek’s reach. However, the Pole darted forward and returned it, continuing the rally and ultimately winning the point.

Replays showed the ball had clearly bounced twice before Swiatek’s racquet made contact with the ball. According to the rules, Navarro would have had to stop play and challenge the call on the spot. But making that split-second decision is easier said than done, especially when the stakes are so high.

Fans were quick to criticize Swiatek for not conceding the point herself. Many called her behavior unsportsmanlike, reigniting debates about fair play in tennis. What did they say?

Fans react to Iga Swiatek’s double bounce debacle

Social media erupted with reactions, with many bashing Iga Swiatek for not conceding the point to Emma Navarro. One X user said, “Swiatek should have called it on herself.” Another one rebuked,“#Disgusting double bounce. Iga doesn’t own up to it. No longer a fan of hers.”

Another netizen added, “Swiatek cheating on and off court💉” referring to the Polish star’s past doping controversy, which surfaced last November. The 23-year-old tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) due to a contaminated sleeping pill she took for insomnia and jet lag. She served a one-month suspension, and the ITF cleared her of intentional wrongdoing. Just yesterday, WADA announced it wouldn’t appeal her case. Still, the timing of this incident has given critics more fuel to question her integrity.

A fan further remarked, “Blame the low character of Swiatek for not calling it on herself! Every tennis player at this level knows when the ball is up or not! Lost all respect for her!” Interestingly, this is not the first time a double-bounce controversy has made headlines. At last year’s Cincinnati Open, a similar situation occurred during a match between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper at the most important point of the match!

On match point, Draper appeared to mishit a half-volley, with the ball bouncing twice before floating over the net. The chair umpire awarded the point to Draper, despite clear evidence of a double bounce. Draper even offered to replay the point but the umpire stood firm on his decision as he had himself not seen the double bounce. The incident led to an uproar, with players like Novak Djokovic calling for improvements in tennis officiating. A year later, it seems those calls have yet to be fully answered.

The Australian Open is currently using cutting-edge technology. The tournament boasts cameras covering every corner of the court and even offers fans behind-the-scenes glimpses through its new BLUEZONE feature. But despite these advancements, certain gaps remain.

During the men’s singles quarterfinal, Tommy Paul was left stunned when a missed “let” call went in Alexander Zverev’s favor during a crucial tiebreak point. Zverev, who benefited from the call, voiced his frustration after the match. “I think it’s, to be honest, quite ridiculous. Every single corner of everything has a camera. We have a video review and all the high-end technologies that we can possibly have, but a simple ‘let’ machine that we’ve been using for the past 25 years is not available at a Grand Slam.”

Similarly, doubles player Erin Routliffe expressed disbelief after a similar incident in her match on January 21. “Oh my god, we have robots everywhere, and we don’t have them for the net?!” she exclaimed.

As the debate over technology and sportsmanship continues, Iga Swiatek remains focused on the task ahead. The world No. 2 is set to face American Madison Keys in the semifinals on Thursday, aiming to keep her title hopes alive.

Can Swiatek silence her critics and rise above the noise to claim her first Australian Open title?