Serena Williams‘ former coach Rennae Stubbs called out Simona Halep for criticizing Iga Swiatek publicly. Since the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) released Swiatek’s doping report, Halep has been condemning the organization, accusing them of double standards.
Halep was herself a victim of accidental contamination and the ITIA initially handed her a four-year ban. Whereas in Swiatek’s case, the ITIA imposed just a one-month ban and this triggered a massive controversy. Halep certainly was not at all satisfied with the verdicts given to both Swiatek and Jannik Sinner but Stubbs urged her not to put the blame on the players but on the ITIA.
I am a bit surprised by Halep going hard though, publicly. I don’t think that’s a good look for her. I think she’s just, she’s angry obviously, but don’t be angry at Iga, be angry at the system. Like she’s, you know, there’s a lot of players that are being angry at the player, be angry at the system. It’s not…it wasn’t their fault. They play within the rules. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be playing right now.
Rennae Stubbs said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast
Swiatek was consuming melatonin but it was contaminated with the banned drug trimetazidine. She was provisionally suspended after failing the test and missed three tournaments.
Rennae Stubbs wants Iga Swiatek to move on after parting ways with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski
Iga Swiatek, while she was provisionally suspended due to the failed drug test, started searching for a new coach after parting ways with Tomasz Wiktorowski. Around that time, Naomi Osaka split from Wim Fissette and Swiatek decided to hire him.
According to Rennae Stubbs, Swiatek and Wiktorowski share uptight personalities. She thinks Wiktorowski is a ‘little demure and a little dour’ and after the split, she wants the World No.2 to move on and have fun.
The man who never smiles. And I think that you know, Iga needs to be far from that personality because she’s already pretty uptight and, you know, a pretty quiet person in and of itself. And she needs someone around her that’s going to make this sport fun.
Rennae Stubbs said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast
Swiatek had a great season earlier in 2024 but after the Paris Olympics, she couldn’t reach a final in the three tournaments she played. She has now started her preparation for the next season and will be hoping to perform better at the Australian Open where she never progressed to the final.
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