Iga Swiatek acted like ‘someone had died’ as complete breakdown emerges

Iga Swiatek has detailed the breakdown she suffered when she learned that she failed an anti-doping test.

The world No. 2 received a one-month ban after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine. The International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted that the result was caused by contamination.

Swiatek has now admitted that she acted like “someone had died” as she shared the “horror” of dealing with her doping saga.

The five-time Grand Slam champion made her first appearance since news of her failed doping test and subsequent ban was made public, speaking to Polish news channel TVN24 over the weekend.

Swiatek tested positive for trimetazidine in August and was informed of the result in September, when she was briefly provisionally suspended and missed three tournaments before successfully appealing. This time was counted when she was handed a one-month ban.

Explaining how she reacted when she found out she failed an anti-doping test, the Pole said: “My reaction was very intense.

“It was a mix of confusion and panic. There was a lot of crying. My manager said my reaction was like someone had died or something serious had happened to my health.”