WATCH: Iga Swiatek Causes Uproar After Failing To Admit Double Bounce In Indian Wells
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Iga Swiatek thrashed her opening two opponents at the 2025 Indian Wells Open, but she still caused controversy by not stopping when a point should have been awarded to Dayana Yastremska.
Swiatek thrashed Yastremska 6-0, 6-2. Although there is still a long way to go, the Pole's chances of winning a third title in Indian Wells look good after two outstanding performances to start her campaign.
The five-time Grand Slam champion's dominance throughout the match meant she needed no assistance to prevail. However, many fans were left unhappy after a point during the opening set against Yastremska.
In the opening point of the sixth game, Yastremska played a delicate drop shot that Swiatek scrambled towards. Although she got the ball back onto the Ukrainian's side of the net, it immediately looked obvious the ball had either bounced twice or Swiatek had hit it into the ground.
Yastremska briefly stopped playing for a moment before realizing the point was still live and finished it with a passing shot. The 2024 Australian Open semifinalist winning the point meant no harm was done.
However, Yastremska understandably looked bewildered that the umpire had not intervened before her last shot. The umpire incorrectly said it looked like one bounce and a legal shot from Swiatek when Yastremska asked about it.
Replays clearly showed that was not the case. Swiatek hit the ball into the ground on her side of the court before it went over the net, something Yastremska immediately noticed judging by how she stopped playing before continuing.
What left some fans irate was that it seemed like Swiatek also stopped during the point. She then suddenly moved again, forcing Yastremska to respond in the nick of time to hit a shot that won her the point.
It cannot be definitively proven that Swiatek knew she had hit the ball into the ground unless the Pole admits it herself, but how she momentarily stopped before starting again was strange and the irritation it caused is understandable.
This is not the first time Swiatek has been involved in that type of controversy. At the 2025 Australian Open, she won a point against Emma Navarro despite the ball bouncing a second time before she hit it.
Swiatek claimed she did not know for sure whether the ball had bounced twice, and left it for the umpire to decide, who did not intervene. Navarro controversially could not ask for a video review because she did not stop the point.
While many had doubts about Swiatek not knowing the ball bounced twice, it is important to remember that professional tennis is played at a high pace and players can sometimes miss a ball bouncing again since those moments are usually decided by a split-second.
However, the incidents involving Navarro and Yastremska will reinforce beliefs about Swiatek's poor sportsmanship. Another example cited was her taking a medical timeout before Coco Gauff served for the match in their 2025 United Cup final contest.
Swiatek has many passionate fans who strongly defend her, but this latest incident gave her detractors another reason to be critical.
