World No.2 Swiatek says doping process ‘fair’ and support appreciated

“Because, even when I missed the China swing and nobody knew why, it wasn’t so easy, so after the information about my case was released, I was scared that most people are going to turn their back on me, but I felt the support and it’s great.

“Obviously, there are going to be some negative comments, and you’re not going to avoid that, that’s something that’s [going to happen] no matter what happens in our lives..”

Australian Nick Kyrgios was particularly vocal about Swiatek’s case, declaring the sport is “cooked” in a post on social media platform X. He later posted saying: “The excuse that we can all use is that we didn’t know. Simply didn’t know. Professionals at the highest level of sport can now just say ‘we didn’t know’.”

Swiatek was the second high-profile tennis player to test positive for a banned substance in 2024 after Italy’s Jannik Sinner twice tested positive for an anabolic steroid. Australian Max Purcell has since admitted to using a prohibited method, after he received an intravenous infusion of vitamins that breached the sport’s regulation.

Sinner was initially cleared of wrongdoing by the ITIA, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is appealing Sinner’s “no fault or negligence” ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a ban of up to two years.

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Swiatek said she wasn’t worried about a potential appeal from WADA.

“Well, I don’t think there is any reason [for an appeal] because I didn’t play three tournaments, literally I was suspended for a month’s time and I lost No.1 because of that,” Swiatek said.

“I also know how the procedure worked, and I gave every possible evidence, and there’s not much honestly to do more. So, there’s no point to do an appeal … I’m not expecting an appeal, but I have kind of no influence on what’s going to happen.

“But I can say from the process that I went through, and how they treated me from the beginning, that it seems fair for me.

“I managed to give the source pretty quickly, that’s why the case closed pretty quickly, but still, I didn’t play tournaments and I got a fine, small one, symbolic one, but it’s over now. So, I guess in my opinion, was a fair process, and I trust ITIA that any case they do they’re going to treat every player the same way and fairly.”