“…I don’t need the artificiality,” Danielle Collins said to Iga Swiatek after losing a quarterfinal clash against her at the Paris Olympics. The controversy surrounding the match overshadowed Swiatek’s eventual 6-1, 2-6, 4-1 victory. While it was their eighth meeting on the court, it appeared that Collins, who previously lost six times against the Pole, was unhappy with Swiatek’s conduct regarding her illness during the match. And after nearly two weeks, the top-ranked player has finally expressed her thoughts on the matter.
Swiatek’s surprising elimination from the semifinals at the Paris Olympics took everyone by surprise. The five-time Grand Slam champion, who has triumphed four times on the red clay of Roland Garros (during the French Open), could not overcome Qinwen Zheng in the semis. Quite peculiar, isn’t it? In an interview with SportoweFakty, a journalist hinted at the same issue. “Did the commotion after the match with Danielle Collins affect your performance against Qinwen Zheng later on?”
Swiatek firmly replied, “I am a professional, and such matters do not impact my tennis performance later on. However, to this day I have no idea where her comment came from, and I decided that there was no point in engaging with it. I solely focused on myself.”
The animosity between the pair began early in the match when Collins’ shot accidentally struck Swiatek in the midsection. This caused Swiatek to take some time to lie down on the red clay. However, it escalated as the match progressed, and Swiatek paused the game, citing crowd interference as the reason. This did not sit well with the eighth-ranked player, who was reportedly heard cursing at her opponent. “There’s no one behind me. Play at the server’s pace,” Collis shouted at the 23-year-old player.
The remainder of the game intensified, and as Collins’ irritation grew, her command over the match diminished. By the concluding set, she was aware that her aspiration of participating in the Olympics was on the verge of being shattered. During this critical period, the American player criticized the Olympic organizers for their failure to provide water during the game. And as she suffered from cramps due to dehydration, the Miami Open champion withdrew from the match entirely.
The story did not conclude there, as Collins later expressed strong sentiments towards her opponent, stating, “I informed Iga that she didn’t need to be disingenuous about my injury… There are numerous things that occur on camera, and there are many individuals with a great deal of charm who present themselves one way on camera and differently in the locker room. They can be who they are, and I can accept that, and I don’t require any insincerity.”
Collins’ remarks not only surprised her fans, but also left Swiatek bewildered. Although the entire scenario did not affect her performance, she couldn’t decipher the reason behind Collins’ statements and shared her reaction after the match.
Collins’ disappointment with her performance intensified following the match. Failing to deliver her best in her inaugural and final Olympic campaign is undoubtedly a source of regret for the American player. While Collins contemplated her next move, Swiatek remained puzzled, attempting to comprehend the cause of Collins’ post-match anger.
“I don’t know if the extended break could have triggered my opponent’s frustration, I won’t speculate here. But generally, during tournaments, when we go out and have time to change clothes, we are granted 5 minutes,” she speculated, wondering if her break during the match was the catalyst for Collins’ frustration. She further added, “I genuinely didn’t know how much time had elapsed, but I didn’t violate any rules, so I’m not entirely certain what the entire situation was about.”
Photo from Iga Swiatek Instagram
