Swiatek 'grateful' for player support after ban

Iga Swiatek's best Australian Open was a run to the semi-finals in 2022

Australian Open 2025

Dates: 12-26 January Venue: Melbourne Park

Coverage: Live radio commentary on Tennis Breakfast from 07:00 GMT on BBC 5 Sports Extra, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app

Iga Swiatek says she is grateful for the support from her fellow players since she returned from a one-month doping suspension.

Five-time major winner Swiatek's positive test for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in August was accepted as being caused by contamination.

The ban was not made public until November, and Poland's Swiatek said she felt "pretty awkward" about not being able to say why she missed three tournaments during that time.

Swiatek attributed her absence at the time to fatigue, personal reasons and a change of coach.

Four-time French Open champion Swiatek said she considered announcing the reason for her absence sooner but decided it would be "easier to tell the whole story when it is complete".

In a news conference at the Australian Open, Swiatek said: "It was probably the worst time in my life.

"The fact I had no control over this whole situation and I had no chance to avoid it made it even worse because I'm a control freak a little bit.

"Having the feeling that everything that I built can be taken away so quickly because of something you have no control over was pretty crazy for me and really abstract."

Swiatek competed at the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup Finals after her provisional suspension was lifted, but before her ban was made public.

The 23-year-old previously said she was "scared" of a hostile reaction from her fellow players.

"In the locker room, the girls are great. They are really supportive," said Swiatek.

"Most of them approached me. They're like, 'how can we avoid this? Is there any way that we can be more careful?'

"They are worried this can happen to them as well.

"I really appreciate that, because it made me feel better when I came back and I didn't know how it was going to be."

Swiatek begins her Australian Open campaign against Czech Katerina Siniakova, with the tournament starting on Sunday.

The handling of Swiatek's ban and the case of world number one Jannik Sinner - who received no ban and was cleared of wrongdoing after testing positive for a banned substance - have drawn criticism.

Nick Kyrgios described the two high-profile cases as "disgusting" for tennis.

Italy's Sinner says he still does not know when the hearing to settle his ongoing doping controversy will take place.

The Italian, who is the defending men's singles champion at the Australian Open, tested positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol, which was accepted as being caused by contamination.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed against the decision to clear him of blame.

"I know exactly as much as you guys know," Sinner told media in Melbourne.

"It's something I have with me already for quite a long time. But it is what it is.

"I'm here trying to prepare for the Grand Slam. Let's see how it goes."

Sinner had the most successful season of his career to date in 2024, winning two major titles, the season-ending ATP Finals, and leading Italy to back-to-back Davis Cup triumphs.

Sinner added: "In my mind I know exactly what happened. That's how I block it.

"I haven't done anything wrong. That's why I'm still here. That's why I'm still playing. I don't want to respond to what Nick [Kyrgios] said or what other players say."

Sinner begins his campaign against Chile's Nicolas Jarry at Melbourne Park.

Britain's Emma Raducanu said she avoided using antiseptic spray on a recent bite that caused her ankle to swell, such is the care she feels she must take to avoid positive tests for prohibited substances.

"I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take on board, what we use," Raducanu said.

"It's obviously a concern on our minds. We're all in the same boat. I think it's just how we manage the controllables as best as we can.

"If something out of our control happens then it's going to be a bit of a struggle to try and prove."