Iga Swiatek expressed relief following the announcement that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will not appeal the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) ruling regarding her doping case. The world No. 2 made her comments while competing against Eva Lys at the Australian Open, where she learned that WADA had decided against taking her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Swiatek noted that she had anticipated this outcome, emphasizing that it allows her to move forward without the burden of uncertainty.
In its statement, WADA acknowledged that Swiatek’s explanation regarding the contamination of a banned substance was well-supported and concluded there was no reasonable basis for an appeal. This decision officially clears the five-time Grand Slam champion of any further suspension, following a one-month ban she served during the offseason. As the Australian Open commenced, there were concerns about the timing of WADA’s decision, especially in light of fellow player Jannik Sinner’s upcoming CAS hearing scheduled for mid-April.
Reflecting on the situation, Swiatek conveyed her desire to focus solely on her performance in the tournament. “I’m just satisfied that I can get closure and move on,” she stated in a press conference. “I just want to play tennis and focus on the tournament.” She also noted the supportive atmosphere among her peers in the locker room, adding that understanding from fellow players has made the experience easier to navigate. Swiatek’s focus now shifts to her next match, where she dominated Lys with a decisive 6-0, 6-1 victory, setting up a quarterfinal showdown against world No. 8 Emma Navarro.
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