Iga Swiatek Calls Out Fan Behaviour After Compatriot’s Hat-Snatching Controversy at US Open

We can’t really forget that a little child lives inside us all, even the adults, and it comes alive during an exciting match like that between Kamil Majchrzak and Karen Khachanov. And that’s when the adults get trapped in the heat of the moment and do something that they later regret. Like, the man who recently snatched away a signed hat that Majchrzak sent to a kid. Of course, the man later apologized for his actions, but the damage was already done. As far as Majchrzak’s compatriot Iga Swiatek is concerned, she tries her best to ensure fairness when she is handing out souvenirs to fans.

During the post-match press conference, a reporter asked if she had seen the incident that happened with Majchrzak’s fans. The answer was a confused no. Then the reporter pointed out that Swiatek was seen pointing to a fan to whom she wanted to give a souvenir following her match against Ekaterina Alexandrova. Meanwhile, many others simply throw the items that they want to give away into the crowd, and have people fight for them. So, is there a specific reason behind this for Iga Swiatek? 

The WTA No. 2 revealed that around seven people tend to hop on to claim just one item. And if boys with long arms are around a girl, it’ll always be the boys who’d get the claim. Swiatek said, “But I usually throw like, at the person that is supposed to get it. So, I try to be fair, kind of. But I don’t pick like, I pick a person kind of randomly, or whoever shouts louder. And I know it’s not fair, but obviously not everybody’s gonna be happy.” But isn’t it strange for people to want a sweaty item from the players?

Well, not really. For fans, that’s something of a high value. Even Iga Swiatek wanted a sweaty towel from Rafael Nadal when she was a kid. That being said, there is certainly one thing that positively irks Swiatek. She continued, “Sometimes, it’s strange when I try to give something to the kid and the adult grabs it, you know. Then I try to be like, come on, that’s not the point.” Perhaps that’s something that more fans can take note of. But then again, it’s not the only thing.

Well, there are a few other instances where Iga Swiatek found faults in the fans’ behavior. Let’s shine some light on that, shall we? 

When Iga Swiatek urged fans to time their cheers 

Back in the 2024 French Open, Swiatek battled Naomi Osaka and defeated her in a three-set thriller. But during the post-match interview, she had a message for the Roland Garros crowd. She said, “Sometimes under a lot of pressure, when you scream something during the rally, it is very distracting and hard to focus. This is serious for us, and sometimes it is hard to accept. The stakes are big, and we are playing for a lot of money. If you could support us before the rallies but not during. I love you guys, and I always love playing here so let’s continue that.”

Another instance hails from Wimbledon 2025. During the press conference, after defeating Amanda Anisimova and claiming the Venus Rosewater Dish and her first Wimbledon title, she expressed her frustration at the crowd’s unexpected behavior. She seemed utterly disturbed when the fans kept opening champagne bottles during the game. Iga Swiatek said, “I’m always going to remember the opening of champagne bottles between serves. It’s a sound that will keep me up at night.”

But the Polish star is someone who has often highlighted how the fans have carried her through the games with their support. And as fans, we wouldn’t really stop cheering for her anytime soon, would we? As Iga Swiatek proceeds to the next stage of the US Open, follow EssentiallySports’ live blog for more updates from Flushing Meadows!