Dinara Safina thinks Iga Swiatek is very good at “disguising” her emotions but the former world No. 1 is not ruling the possibility of the Pole “crumbling” following the doping news.
After the five-time Grand Slam champion didn’t play at all during the Asian swing due to “personal reasons,” it was revealed last Thursday that it happened because she was serving a provisional suspension after failing a doping test. According to the ITIA, the world No. 2 tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) but only for small traces and was able to prove that it was unintentional and that it came through a contaminated melatonin medication.
In the end, Swiatek escaped with just a one-month suspension and will be able to start the 2025 season in time. However, in a video message she uploaded after the ITIA announcement, the 23-year-old described it as “the toughest battle of her life” and admitted she was under enormous stress and anxiety throughout the process. And she looked like someone who was in distress for an extended period of time and was just relieved for it to be over.
Safina, who was one of the best players in the game 15 years ago before an unfortunate back injury forced her to play her last match at 25, thinks Swiatek may…
