WATCH: Raging Azarenka Accuses Swiatek Of Deliberately Slowing Their Match

Iga Swiatek did not avoid controversy in her opening match of the grass-court swing at the 2025 Bad Homburg Open. Victoria Azarenka was left furious with the Pole and the umpire.

Expectations of Swiatek for the grass court swing are very low for someone with her achievements. She has struggled on the surface more than any other, and began it having not reached a final at any event in the last 12 months.

Although Azarenka is nowhere near her prime anymore, the two-time Australian Open champion might have believed an upset was possible against Swiatek, especially since it was the five-time Grand Slam winner's first match of 2025 on grass.

Swiatek did not allow that to happen. She produced a solid performance to overcome Azarenka and set up a quarterfinal meeting with Ekaterina Alexandrova, who defeated Swiatek in their last meeting at the 2024 Miami Open.

Azarenka looked to have a chance of breaking back when Swiatek served for the match at 4-6, 4-5. She got to 30-15 up on return and knew that a break could change the entire complexion of the contest.

Swiatek threw up the ball to hit her first serve before stopping and restarting after realizing it was a bad toss. She did that a few times during the contest, and Azarenka could not contain her emotions anymore.

The Belarusian furiously ranted at the umpire, Miriam Bley, claiming that Swiatek took extra time and disrupted the momentum of the game every time she was down. Azarenka felt Bley had not paid attention to that issue throughout the match.

Swiatek delivered the best possible response to Azarenka's complaints. She hit an excellent serve out wide that her experienced opponent could not put back into the court, before completing the victory by holding in that game.

The four-time French Open champion's response to hitting the unreturned serve at 15-30 was notable. She looked straight at Azarenka and shouted "Jazda" (Polish for "Let's go"), before turning her back.

Swiatek is usually one of the quietest players on the court. Her reaction showed how irritated she was by Azarenka's words, clearly feeling they were unfair. This must have made the final result even more satisfying.

Although the 2022 US Open winner does not often show much emotion in matches, she criticized the umpire Kader Nouni after her Roland Garros semifinal defeat to Aryna Sabalenka. Nouni had refused to check a ball mark, claiming Swiatek challenged too late.

Winning a match at the Bad Homburg Open might have been particularly welcome after that loss to Sabalenka. Before this year, Swiatek had won the three previous iterations of the women's singles at Roland Garros.

The Pole is also at No. 8 in the rankings. That feels shockingly low after Swiatek dominated the No. 1 ranking from April 2022 until October 2024. She has a chance to rise again in the coming months because she does not have many points to defend.