World number two Iga Swiatek is ready to leave behind a doping controversy that temporarily disrupted her season. The 23-year-old Polish tennis star expressed confidence on Friday that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) would not appeal the decision in her case.
Swiatek tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) during an out-of-competition test in August while ranked world number one. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled the violation unintentional and handed her a one-month suspension, during which she missed three tournaments in Asia and relinquished her top ranking.
The news only became public in late November, and Swiatek is set to make her return at the United Cup in Sydney, a warm-up event ahead of the Australian Open.
Speaking about the ordeal, Swiatek acknowledged the mental toll but noted the supportive reaction from most fans. “I think people, most of them, are understanding,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion. “Those who read the documents and understand how the system works know I had no fault or influence on what happened.”
She emphasized her focus on tennis: “The best thing you can do after a case like this is to move on and concentrate on preparing for the season.”
Swiatek believes the thorough evidence she provided will dissuade WADA from pursuing an appeal. “I gave every possible evidence, and there’s not much more to do,” she said. “From the processes I went through, everything seemed fair. I’m not expecting an appeal.”
Her case bears similarities to that of men’s world number one Jannik Sinner, who tested positive for traces of clostebol in March. Though cleared by the ITIA, WADA appealed that decision in September, and Sinner is still awaiting a resolution.
Reflecting on her experience, Swiatek concluded, “The process was abstract and hard to understand at times, but the case was resolved quickly because I managed to provide the source of contamination promptly.”
