Iga Swiatek criticised for using ‘bad habit’ tactic to disrupt opponents by tennis legend
Tennis great Lindsay Davenport has criticised Iga Swiatek, claiming the world No 1 uses bathroom breaks as a tactic to disrupt her opponents.
The three-time Grand Slam champion asserted that Swiatek uses the tactic every time she loses a set and labelled it a “bad habit that should be patrolled by the powers that be.”
Swiatek’s tendency to leave the court to take lengthy bathroom breaks after losing sets in matches has been highlighted in recent months by some tennis pundits and fans.
The world No 1 took a break after losing the first set in her 3-6, 3-6 defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals. The 23-year-old Polish star also left the court after losing sets in her matches against Danielle Collins at the Paris Olympics.
It is worth noting that Swiatek has not broken any rules and she is by no means the only player to take extended bathroom breaks.
The five-time major winner has also left the court to take breaks after winning sets, which challenges the suggestion she only does it to disrupt opponents when losing.
WTA News
The 5 women with the highest WTA 1000 win percentage: Iga Swiatek 3rd, Serena Williams with 84%
Speaking on Tennis Channel, former world No 9 Coco Vandeweghe weighed in on the debate about Swiatek’s use of bathroom breaks.
“It’s been spoken about, Iga’s tactic of going to the bathroom, changing her kit, taking her time, always after losing a set,” said the two-time major semi-finalist. “If I was still playing, I would definitely be very aware of it — she’s trying to disrupt my rhythm.”
Davenport, a former world No 1, condemned the apparent tactic and called for Swiatek to be “patrolled.”
“It’s a bad habit that probably should start to be patrolled a little bit by the powers that be,” argued the American. “Lose a set, you leave the court — never used to be like that. But it happens every time.”
The WTA rulebook states there is a time limit of three minutes for players taking a “toilet break only”, which can be taken between sets or before a player’s own service game.
There is a five-minute limit for a “change of attire break” or a “change of attire break taken with a toilet break”, which can only be taken between sets.
The rulebook clarifies that “an authorized break is timed from when the player enters the toilet or change area to when she leaves the toilet or change area.”
READ NEXT: The 5 women with 20+ WTA 1000 final appearances – ft. Serena Williams, Steffi Graf
