Iga Swiatek stated she felt awkward about not with the ability to be trustworthy
concerning her absence from the tour.
The world No 2 failed a doping check in August and served a one-month ban after it was accepted remedy she was taking to fight jet lag was contaminated.
That information was not introduced till November, when it emerged she had missed three tournaments within the autumn whereas serving a provisional ban, which she attributed on the time to private causes, fatigue and a change of coach.
Following so quickly after the announcement in August that males’s world No 1 Jannik Sinner had failed two checks in March that weren’t made public on the time, it was one other main blow to the game’s fame.
Talking forward of the Australian Open, Swiatek stated: “The primary three weeks, I might say, have been fairly chaotic. There was no approach to have any solutions to the questions. We simply centered on discovering the supply.
“However I’ve acquired to say, for positive it wasn’t simple. It was in all probability the worst time in my life. And the truth that I had no management over this complete scenario and I had no likelihood to keep away from it, it made it even worse as a result of I am a management freak a little bit bit.
“Simply having the sensation that the whole lot that I form of constructed will be taken away so shortly due to one thing you don’t have any management over, it was fairly loopy for me and actually summary.
“For the first two or three weeks, I just was focused on myself because I wasn’t in a good place. I had trouble just being on court. I thought that tennis did this to me a little bit. I didn’t really read stuff because the priority was me and my well-being.
“After, it acquired fairly awkward. We selected for the primary match to say private causes as a result of we actually thought the suspension goes to be lifted quickly.
“From the beginning it was obvious that something was contaminated because the level of this substance in my urine was so low that it had to be contamination.
“Since we did not know what is going on to occur as a result of we had no management over ITIA’s [International Tennis Integrity Agency] determination, we additionally could not make any logical plan. We began with private points as a result of I wanted additionally time to determine the whole lot out.”
Swiatek returned to play on the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup Finals after her provisional suspension was lifted however earlier than the information got here out.
She admitted she was petrified of what the response can be however thanked rivals for his or her assist.
“Besides the fact I couldn’t play, this was the worst thing for me, like what people would say,” she stated. “Because I always worked hard to be a good example, to show my integrity, show good behaviour.
“Once more, having no management over this case actually freaked me out a bit. However within the locker room, the women are nice. I already noticed at this exhibition in Abu Dhabi [in December] that they’re actually supportive.
“Most of them even approached me. They’re like: ‘Hey, how can we avoid this? Is there any way that we can be more careful?’ They are worried this can happen to them as well.
“There are lots of prime gamers – I am not going to say names – which are actually supportive. I actually admire that, as a result of it made me really feel higher after I got here again and I did not know the way it was going to be.”
Second seed Swiatek will tackle Czech Katerina Siniakova within the opening spherical in Melbourne.
What’s developing on Sky Sports activities Tennis?
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- Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) – 3-8 February
- Qatar TotalEnergies Open (WTA 1000) – 9-15 February
- Dubai Responsibility Free Tennis Championships (WTA 1000) – 16-22 February
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