By Rachel Donovan | Sports Insider Weekly | June 7, 2025
Paris, France — Reigning world No. 1 and four-time French Open champion Iga Świątek shocked reporters in the post-match press conference on Friday—not with her tennis, but with an unusually frosty response to what she deemed a “disrespectful” question.
Following her straight-sets semifinal victory over Aryna Sabalenka, Świątek entered the press room in high spirits. Dressed in a navy hoodie and still glowing from her dominant win, the 24-year-old Pole appeared relaxed and smiling—until one reporter’s question abruptly changed the tone.
“Iga,” began a British journalist from a popular tabloid, “do you think your success at Roland Garros is mostly due to the lack of strong competition on clay this year?”
Świątek froze. Her smile vanished.
“Excuse me?” she asked, furrowing her brow. “What kind of question is that?”
A moment of silence filled the room.
“Do you ask that to Novak when he wins?” she continued, visibly irritated. “Or Rafa, when he had his run here? Honestly, it’s disrespectful—not just to me, but to all the players I’ve beaten. Aryna is no joke on any surface.”
The reporter attempted to clarify, suggesting he meant no offense and was simply analyzing the competition, but Świątek remained firm.
“I work my whole life for moments like this. If I win, it’s because I earned it. If you want to talk about stats or tactics, fine—but don’t undermine the work behind it with lazy narratives.”
The tension eventually passed, and Świątek answered the remainder of the questions with her usual poise. But the moment quickly made its way around social media, with many fans and fellow athletes applauding her composed yet assertive clapback.
Former player and Eurosport analyst Justine Henin tweeted, “Iga is right to stand her ground. Her dominance on clay is not a fluke—it’s the result of excellence.”
Świątek, now eyeing her fifth Roland Garros title, is set to face Coco Gauff in Sunday’s final. When asked later by a Polish outlet if the exchange had affected her mindset, she simply smiled.
“I’ll let my tennis do the talking. Again.”