Swiatek-Collins off-court breaks turn heads, Navratilova recalls 'the old times'
WTAThursday, 01 August 2024 at 19:30
Martina
Navratilova expressed her disappointment with the long off-court breaks taken
by Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins during their clash at the Olympic Games.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion compared both players to her own career,
highlighting her pride in virtually never taking a break across more than 1,700
career matches.
The
Swiatek-Collins encounter was arguably the most heated match of Paris 2024. The
match ended with Collins retiring in the third set, with the score at 6-1, 2-6,
4-1 in favor of the five-time Grand Slam champion.
Navratilova slams extended off-court breaks
From the
outset, things were tense on Court Suzanne Lenglen. In just the third game,
Collins hit the World No. 1 with a powerful shot to the stomach, taking Swiatek
a few seconds to recover. Later, Swiatek requested a bathroom break, and the
American complained to the chair umpire about the time the Polish player took.
Similarly,
Collins took a medical timeout as she began to experience physical discomfort.
Once the match concluded, Collins approached her opponent and was seen sharing
some tense words with her rival: "I told Iga she didn't have to be
insincere about my injury," the American later explained in a press
conference.
Iga Swiatek at 2024 Roland Garros.
Social
media erupted with comments supporting one player or the other in the conflict.
Journalist Christopher Clarey criticized the long breaks taken by both players:
"If we're keeping score for extended off-court breaks since the second
set, it's now 1-1 between Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins. This all seems far,
far from ideal," he said.
Former
World No. 1 Martina Navratilova joined the discussion on social media,
responding to the tweet by mentioning her own career: "Guess how many
times I went to the bathroom in my whole career in some 1,700 matches?"
Navratilova said.
Back in 2022, Clarey recalled the historic duel between Venus Williams and Arantxa Sanchez
Vicario in 1994, when the Spaniard took a long toilet break as a strategy to
disrupt the 14-year-old, who was close to achieving an incredible victory
against the World No. 2 at that time:
"Arantxa
Sanchez Vicario weighs in on her unsympathetic portrayal in 'King Richard.'
Says depiction of her as 'bad, super bad' when she was losing 2-6, 1-3 to
14-year-old Venus in her WTA debut event was 'totally incorrect.'
"We
never took bathroom breaks back then and certainly not as a ploy,"
Navratilova responded.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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