Iga Swiatek has hit back at a journalist who asked her if she needed a mental break from the sport after losing in the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The world No.2 suffered a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Amanda Anisimova in what was a case of sweet revenge for the American. Anisimova lost 6-0, 6-0 to Swiatek in the Wimbledon final earlier this year. It is the third year in a row that 2022 champion Swiatek has failed to make it through to the last four in New York.
Conducting her press duties after seeing her nine-match winning streak come to an end, Swiatek got involved in a tense exchange with a reporter during her press conference. She was asked if she was feeling tired due to the current tennis schedule and if she felt she needed to take a mental break.
“I don’t know. It’s not like my matches were exhausting here,” Swiatek initially responded.
“Why would you say that?”
The journalist replied by explaining that he wanted to know if Swiatek was looking forward to taking a break after playing a lot of matches in recent weeks. Since winning her maiden Wimbledon title on July 12th, Swiatek has played in three tournaments across America. Winning 11 out of 13 matches played during this period. She also participated in the US Open mixed doubles event alongside Casper Ruud, which started a day after she won the Cincinnati Open.
“Talk to people responsible for the schedule. Do you need a mental break?” She said back to the journalist.
“You look like you need a mental break.”
In response, the journalist said they did need a break, but added they needed to get to the end of the tournament. Swiatek then ended the frosty exchange by saying “good luck” in that pursuit.
This is not the first time in New York that the six-time Grand Slam winner has had a run-in with a reporter this year. Earlier in the tournament, she was bemused by a question asked by a Polish journalist, Tomek Moczerniuk, about whether she considered doing something crazy, such as getting beads in her hair.
Moczerniuk later clarified on social media that the idea of his question was based on the idea that ‘New York likes a show.’ He then wanted to ask Swiatek if she would consider doing something to shock New Yorkers, such as a change of hairstyle. Moczerniuk apologised to Swiatek for any offence caused and insisted his question was to lighten up the mood.
