Iga Swiatek Faces Backlash For Smashing Ball at Ball Kid During Meltdown

Iga Swiatek is making headlines again, but not for the reasons she might hope.

The former world No. 1 found herself on the receiving end of boos from the crowd during her semi-final match at Indian Wells, where she faced off against the up-and-coming Mirra Andreeva. Swiatek, who was riding high on a 10-match winning streak and aiming for her third title at this prestigious tournament, was unexpectedly defeated by the 17-year-old Andreeva with a score of 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 6-3 in a match that took a turn for the worse.

Imagine the reaction if this was Novak Djokovic???? Iga swiatek with a clown act 🤡pic.twitter.com/yA4T8PPRdX

— SK (@Djoko_UTD) March 15, 2025

As the match progressed into the third set, Swiatek's frustration became palpable. She voiced her concerns to the chair umpire, claiming that the ball kids were moving around too much while she was preparing to receive Andreeva’s serve. This complaint seemed to set the stage for what would follow.

In a moment of sheer frustration, Swiatek reacted poorly when a ball boy tossed her a ball. Instead of simply returning it, she turned and smashed it back at him, narrowly missing the kid as he raised his arms in defense. The ball flew into the crowd, and the audience responded with a chorus of boos, further amplifying the tension in the air.

Swiatek's actions did not sit well with the crowd, who had already been cheering for Andreeva. The Polish star, a four-time Roland Garros champion, has a history of controversial behavior on the court, and this latest incident has only fueled the fire of discontent among tennis fans worldwide.

Adding to the controversy, Swiatek has faced criticism for a one-month suspension she received after testing positive for a banned substance. This incident has further tarnished her reputation, and the recent ball kid incident has gone viral, racking up hundreds of thousands of views on social media platforms like X.

Tennis analyst Pavvy G took to X to highlight Swiatek's troubling pattern of behavior, listing her recent missteps, including the failed drug test, a negotiated ban that allowed her to avoid missing key tournaments, and other unsportsmanlike actions. “In the last few months, Swiatek has failed a drug test, negotiated a ban in installments so that she didn’t miss the WTA and BJK finals, didn’t own up to a double bounce, tried to distract Madison Keys when about to serve, smashed rackets, and now launched a ball towards a ball boy,” he posted.

Fans have not held back in their criticism either. One user remarked, “Swiatek literally hitting a ball back at a ball kid. Poor sportsmanship and dangerous play. I’ve never seen such ugly behavior before.” Another fan added, “Swiatek is the poorest sport in the WTA. The second things don’t go her way, out come the stall tactics. She’s extremely hard to root for.”

Despite the uproar, Swiatek's outburst did not help her regain control of the match. Andreeva maintained her composure and ultimately closed out the third set 6-3, securing her place in the final against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

With this victory, Andreeva becomes the youngest Indian Wells finalist since Kim Clijsters, who was also 17, back in 2001. Swiatek, who had previously dominated her matches without dropping a set, started strong, winning her first three service games with ease. However, Andreeva managed to break Swiatek's serve for a 5-4 lead, capitalizing on a double fault and a forehand error from the Polish player.

Swiatek did break back in the next game, leading to a tiebreaker where Andreeva showcased her skills with a powerful backhand winner. Swiatek initially put her frustrations aside to break Andreeva at the start of the second set, but the Russian soon found her rhythm, breaking Swiatek multiple times as the pressure mounted.

Reflecting on the match, Andreeva shared her experience with the crowd, saying, “I saw my mum’s nervous face on the big screen. I tried not to look there.” The match saw a dramatic shift when Andreeva broke Swiatek to open the third set, ultimately sealing her victory with a third break.