Iga Swiatek has undoubtedly carved out her place among the tennis elite. Her unmatched skills on the court testify to her rise to the top. With every powerful serve and flawless gameplay, she’s proven that she belongs on the world stage. Yet, as with many high-profile athletes, success often comes with its share of scrutiny. For Swiatek, the focus has occasionally shifted away from her game to the controversies that seem to follow her. Most recently, it is the chatter surrounding her extended breaks during matches.

The tennis star has once again fueled this controversy. Playing against Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open, the World No. 1 failed to keep the upper hand. She was baffled in the first set which she lost 6-3. But what followed was an extended toilet break. While Swiatek went on to lose the match in straight sets by 6-3, 6-3, her extended toilet break after the first set led to extensive outrage from the Aryna Sabalenka fans.

However, this is not the first time that such an act has unfolded on the American hard courts. During her match against Sabalenka in the semifinals of the 2022 US Open, Iga Swiatek was down 6-3. She took a break, and came back energized, as she defeated the Belarusian player in three sets.

Explaining the break, Swiatek had then said, “I tried to use that time to really try to think about what to change and do it in a good way.” As she repeated the gesture, the series of flak mounted on her heavily. Taking to X, several fans lashed out at the Polish sensation and accused her of unsportsmanlike behavior.

Iga Swiatek receives widespread criticism from fans

One X user expressed their anger and wrote, “How many matches are there when Iga doesn’t go on a toilet break.” Swiatek has often found herself in controversies surrounding her extended breaks. Her bathroom breaks have been called out by her Wimbledon opponent Yulia Putintseva as well.

Playing in the third round of the grass-court grand slam, Iga Swiatek took extended breaks which many believed to be an attempt to break Putinsteva’s momentum. Despite winning the match, the Kazhak player had called out Swiatek back then. “I was not annoyed, but she took a lot of time off the court, I don’t know what the rules are,” she had said.

Another user responded similarly and lashed out at Swiatek. “When she’s losing*,” the user wrote, claiming the star player uses the move when she is on the brink of defeat. This fact was highlighted by former pro-Coco Vandeweghe as well. Lashing out after Iga’s match against Mirra Andreeva at Cincinnati, Vandeweghe said, “It’s been spoken about, Iga’s tactic of going to the bathroom, changing her kit, taking her time, ALWAYS after losing a set.” Vandeweghe further claimed that she uses this tactic to break the momentum of her opponents. The series of backlash continued. 

Another fan wrote, “Sabalenka gonna beat post toilet break iga holy s**t shes so back.” The Belarusian star completely dominated the match on Sunday. She did not let Swiatek get her hold back and dealt a severe blow against her. Sabalenka shot 5 aces in the match against Swiatek’s 1. On the other hand, she made only one double fault, whereas the Pole resorted to 3.  

One more user responded similarly and wrote, “egg fans coming for you lmfaooo touched a sore point for them.” X seemed to turn into a battlefield as many fans came in to support Swiatek. But her past gestures and similar breaks have led to widespread criticism for the 5-time Grand Slam champion.

Another user simply agreed with the critics of the Pole, and wrote “So right!” As the series of backlash continues, what would be crucial for Swiatek is maintaining resilience. It would be interesting to see if she can come out of these controversies, and win yet another slam at the US Open this year.