“What have you both achieved?”: Iga Swiatek’s father responds to debate over her sports psychologist

Iga Swiatek’s long-standing collaboration with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz has come under renewed scrutiny following comments made on the Polish podcast Trzeci Serwis. Former youth coach Artur Sostaczko and tennis commentator Lech Sidor questioned the closeness of the partnership, prompting a sharp public response from Swiatek’s father, Tomasz Swiatek.

The controversy comes at a sensitive moment for the 24-year-old, who recently suffered back-to-back quarter-final defeats. Swiatek lost to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open and was then beaten by Maria Sakkari in the last eight in Doha, results that renewed scrutiny over her form.

Following the defeat to Sakkari, the six-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from Dubai, citing a “change in her schedule.” She is now set to return to competition at Indian Wells. The timing of the podcast discussion ensured that the debate unfolded while the player was off the tour and preparing for the next phase of the season.

Abramowicz has worked with Swiatek since 2019 and has remained a constant presence throughout her career, even as several head coaches have changed. That stability, once viewed as central to her rise to world No. 1 and multiple major titles, is now being openly questioned in Poland.

During the episode, Sostaczko — one of Swiatek’s former youth coaches — expressed doubts about the closeness of the professional relationship. He said he did not know of another player who spends “day and night” with a psychologist, referencing shared vacations and leisure activities in addition to tournament travel.

“I don’t know of any other case where a player spends day and night with a psychologist. There are joint vacations, matches, movies. But if it suits Iga, I won’t discourage her. People need to understand that I can express my opinion or be a little surprised, but if it suits the player, who is ranked second and was once number one in the world, with six Grand Slam titles to her name, what can we offer or advise her?”

Lech Sidor went further, linking recent defeats to visible tension on court. He pointed to the Australian Open and Doha as examples where Swiatek appeared unsettled and suggested that no clear corrective mechanisms were evident during matches.

“Let me counter that. At the Australian Open and in Doha, it wasn’t clear that Daria Abramowicz was helping in any way. Iga is a bundle of nerves; she doesn’t have any mechanisms she could put into practice, such as sign language. The world is starting to look at this arrangement differently, with different eyes.”

Sostaczko added that “something isn’t working again” and suggested that even a short period of separation during preparation might be beneficial. The remarks quickly gained traction online, extending beyond the podcast’s immediate audience.

Tomasz Swiatek, a former Olympic rower who frequently travels with his daughter and her team, responded directly in the comments section after the episode aired on YouTube. His message was unequivocal and personal in tone. “What have you both achieved? Almost nothing, mind your own business. You don't know shit, you sleep on your feet.”

The statement was widely circulated by international tennis outlets, turning what began as a domestic discussion into a broader debate about boundaries between player and psychologist. It also reinforced the Swiatek family’s long-standing position that decisions about her team remain internal matters.

For now, the focus shifts back to the court. Swiatek will attempt to reset her season at Indian Wells after consecutive quarter-final exits. Whether the discussion surrounding Abramowicz fades may ultimately depend less on public commentary and more on results in the coming weeks.