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Iga Swiatek was involved in a bizarre exchange with a media person following her three-set quarterfinal victory against Madison Keys at the 2025 Madrid Open on Wednesday (April 30). Asked to give her thoughts on the comparison between the field of players on the ATP and WTA Tours, she strayed from a definitive answer.
Swiatek started her last-eight encounter at Caja Magica in worrisome fashion, dropping the opening set to Keys by a scoreline of 0-6. Not to be deterred, the defending champion broke the American four times across the next two sets to eventually come through 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 46 minutes.
During her press conference afterward, Iga Swiatek fielded a question about tennis fans' perception of the ATP and WTA Tours, where they felt that the former circuit had apparently fallen to the standard of the women's tour. Unsure about what exactly the fans' issue was with WTA, the 23-year-old asked the interviewer to give her "more details".
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"People say the ATP Tour is becoming more and more like the WTA Tour. I think they mean it in a negative way. What do you think about this comparison?" the interviewer in question asked Iga Swiatek.
"I don't know what they mean, I need more details," the Pole replied confusedly.
When the interviewer persisted with his rather poorly elucidated question, Swiatek was visibly perplexed as she didn't understand the basis of the comparison between both tours. He then insisted that many fans felt the men's pro circuit had recently become "more open" in terms of big title-winners, which is the widely-accepted perception of the women's circuit since time immemorial.
In response, the five-time Major winner cited the fact that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner had won all four Major titles on the men's side last year as a direct counterpoint to the above suggestion. She eventually played down the question in her trademark style, claiming that she was perhaps "too stupid" to give an in-depth answer on the subject.
"No, the ATP Tour is more open now... like, the WTA circuit...This is good, this is bad?" asked the media person.
"I don't know, because last, I mean Jannik and Carlos have been winning all their Grand Slams last year, you know. I don't think... I don't get it. I got no opinion then. I'm too stupid to answer that question," Iga Swiatek replied.
Swiatek will next face fourth-seeded Coco Gauff for a place in the final of the Madrid Open. The Pole will be eager to win their contest considering she has yet to reach the title match at a singles knockout tournament on the WTA Tour in 2025.
Iga Swiatek looking to hit top gear for her French Open title defense
After her Madrid campaign is over, Iga Swiatek will play at the 2025 Italian Open next week. The Pole is a three-time champion at the 1000-level event and will be hopeful of joining an elusive list of Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Gabriela Sabatini, and Conchita Martinez as the only female players in the Open era to have won four or more singles titles at Foro Italico.
The 23-year-old will then defend her Roland Garros crown in Paris later this month. A four-time champion on the terre battue (2020, 2022-24), a prospective triumph there would bode well for her World No. 1 aspirations later this year.
