Former world No. 1 Dinara Safina has raised some intriguing points about Iga Swiatek’s upcoming season, especially in light of her recent doping controversy. Safina believes that Swiatek’s journey in 2025 will be particularly fascinating to watch, given the emotional toll of the failed drug test that rocked her year.
Swiatek, who has amassed five Grand Slam titles, tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine during the Cincinnati Open in August. The Polish star was informed of the result in September, and as a result, she missed three tournaments in Asia. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) issued a one-month suspension for Swiatek in late November, finding no significant fault or negligence on her part.
Having completed her suspension, Swiatek returned to action at the WTA Finals, where she played a solid round-robin stage, winning two of her three matches before being eliminated. She then played a key role in Poland’s successful run at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, where she won all three of her singles matches and added a doubles victory to her tally, helping the team reach the semifinals. With her suspension behind her, Swiatek is now eyeing her next challenge, including a strong showing at the United Cup and the Australian Open in 2025.
Opening up about the emotional toll the situation took on her, Swiatek reflected on the sleepless nights and anxiety she endured after hearing the news of the failed test. “There were countless tears and nights spent awake, riddled with worry,” she admitted. She also spoke about the uncertainty she faced regarding her future in tennis, saying, “The uncertainty was the hardest aspect. I was left guessing about my future in tennis, uncertain of whether I would even be able to play again.”
The 23-year-old acknowledged the possibility that the situation could damage the image she had worked so hard to build, adding, “I sense that this situation could jeopardize the image I have painstakingly built over the years. I sincerely hope fans will comprehend the circumstances and recognize that I had no control over this unfortunate situation. I urge you to continue supporting me because I genuinely doubt I would have managed to find the strength to persist without my supporters’ backing.”
Safina, who herself has experienced the pressure of top-level tennis, confessed that she is eager to see how Swiatek handles the pressure in the coming months. The three-time Grand Slam finalist expressed concern that Swiatek might be hiding her true emotions, noting, “It will be interesting to watch Iga. For some reason, it seems to me that she disguises [her emotions] very beautifully. She is a ‘robot,’ she comes out on the court as if she has no emotions.”
Safina’s comment suggests that, despite Swiatek’s composed demeanor, there may be underlying emotional struggles that could affect her performance. The Russian added, “But I have a feeling that something could go wrong and she could fall apart. From the outside, it seems that everything is too artificial, too professional.”
With so much at stake for Swiatek in the new season, the tennis world will certainly be keeping a close eye on how she navigates both her on-court challenges and the emotional aftermath of her doping incident.