Vulnerable Iga Swiatek Succumbs to Social Media Scrutiny as She Opens Up on Unfathomable External ‘Pressure’

The roar of the crowd fades, the final point is won, and Iga Swiatek, the reigning queen of women’s tennis, stands bathed in the spotlight. But the world #1 ranking isn’t just about titles and trophies anymore. In today’s age, athletes like Swiatek are celebrities, constantly under scrutiny. The pressure to perform flawlessly, both on and off the court, can be immense. But the Pole, with her recent revelation, offers a glimpse into how she navigates this new reality of “Being an athlete now is becoming a public figure.”

This Wednesday, May 22nd, something beyond the thrill of victory found its way onto ON’s YouTube channel. Titled “Beyond Number One,” this short film delves deeper than the trophies and rankings to explore the world of Iga Swiatek, the reigning queen of tennis. Describing her journey to the top in tennis, the 22-year-old player delved into the inevitable part of being a subject of scrutiny by fans. Despite that, Swiatek, who tries to remain authentic, stated, “The person you see in front of the camera is not that different than in real life. Being an athlete now is becoming a public figure. I wasn’t aware of that when I wanted to be a tennis player. That this is going to be a big part of life.”

Every move, every shot, every misstep is documented, dissected, and judged by a swirling vortex of online opinions. Athletes like Iga Swiatek, no matter how talented, can’t escape the constant scrutiny. It’s a double-edged sword – the same platform that connects them to fans can also amplify negativity and blur the lines between public and private life. Further illustrating her point, the Madrid Open champion added, “With social media everywhere and with people sharing every piece of information, it’s just more pressure because of the fact that every step we take is practically watched and often judged by people.” 

An incident that perfectly describes her comment occurred during last year’s Cincinnati Masters tournament. Even after she beat her opponent, Qinwen Zheng, Swiatek revealed the criticism and hate that her team got after she dropped the opening set. Calling for an end to online hate and criticism, Swiatek requested tennis fans to show more empathy. “I want to encourage people to be more thoughtful when they comment on the internet. We all sacrifice a lot. We’re all working really hard to be in that place. We’re always giving 100 percent. It’s sad for me to see that people I work with and myself, we’re really judged,” said the World No. 1.

Although the reigning Italian Open Champion is happy after receiving constant support from her country, Poland, there is one thing that she wants her fans to understand. “I hope that we will in a way feel more empathy towards these people who, I don’t know, play sports every day. And whom we only see for a fraction of the time on TV screens. I hope that fans will understand that I am a human being, too.”

Iga Swiatek is renowned for her focused and introverted nature on and off the court. While to some this represents authenticity, others expect more expressiveness from a public figure like her. And this is even more amplified through social media scrutinies. Because this is where fans dissect her interviews and frequently comment on her personality. 

However, rising above all of it, Swiatek knows how to surprise fans with her multifaceted personality, too. Last year, during the WTA Finals players’ Swiatek amazed everyone through her singing. It provided a glimpse into a lesser-known side of her. But at the same time, she once revealed her struggles with balancing her on and off-court personality under the constant spotlight.

Iga Swiatek confesses how she was “so introverted that speaking to people was a real challenge”

Iga Swiatek, the four Grand Slam champion, revealed how growing up as an introvert made it really hard for her to establish connections in her life. Even as a kid, her dream was to be “more natural in social situations.” “There was a time in my life when I was so introverted that speaking to people was a real challenge. Until I was 17 or 18, it was hard sometimes to look people in the eyes,” Swiatek admitted in an interview.

She continued, “I hated how hard it was for me. It felt really bad not being able to make connections.” According to Swiatek, her story was a bit different from other players. However, now, she is determined to improve her skills and excel. “Now I’m opening up more and more,” she concluded.

While Iga Swiatek carves her own path both on and off the court, we are hopeful to see her gracefully navigate around the challenges of being a public figure.