"Iga has the right to her opinion": Swiatek's father weighs in on criticism surrounding Ukraine ribbon on hat
WTAThursday, 27 July 2023 at 16:15
The current world number one Poland’s Iga Swiatek’s father
has defended her daughter for playing in the Wimbledon 2023 quarterfinal with a ribbon
with the same colours as the Ukrainian flag.
The 22-year-old has received criticism from some quarters
after the encounter, especially on social media, especially because she was
facing a player from Ukraine.
Iga’s father Tomasz Swiatek responded to such criticism by
stating that his daughter has the right to have her opinion and that she did
not do anything wrong.
“Playing with a ribbon on a hat, her views are clear, she
wants the war to end,” said the 59-year-old. “Sadly, after the match with
Elina, there were harmful comments. You can’t stand by a topic like war. Iga
has the right to her opinion.”
Russia and Ukraine are involved in an armed conflict since February
2022 which has resulted in the loss of lives on both sides.
The game was a rather disappointing one for the Warsaw-born as
she ended up on the losing side to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina with a score of
7-5, 6-7, 6-2.
Despite that result, Iga will be slightly pleased with the performance
as it was her best outing in the competition.
However, Wimbledon remains the only competition where she has
not played beyond the quarterfinal stage.
Iga’s best performance in any competition is in the French
Open where she has won three times — in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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