"It wasn't me!" - Iga Swiatek hilariously professes innocence amid playful accusation of 'killing' Polish hamsters
Iga Swiatek playfully denied any involvement in the demise of hamsters during a lighthearted interaction with a fan. The World No. 1's humorous response was prompted by an analysis of the declining population of hamsters in her home country of Poland.
Following her exceptional clay season, during which she won her fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open, Swiatek has shifted her focus to the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. Having opted to skip all preparatory tournaments after her rigorous clay swing, the Pole has arrived at SW19 to train for the grasscourt Major.
Amid her preparations, the 23-year-old had a hilarious interaction with a fan on social media. The exchange was sparked by a news headline, which declared that something the Polish people are "proud" of is "killing" their native hamsters.
"Where have the Polish hamsters gone? What we are proud of kills them," the headline reads (Translated from Polish).
With Iga Swiatek being the only Polish player to win a Major singles title, it is needless to say that she is a great source of pride in her home country. This prompted one fan to playfully accuse the five-time Grand Slam champion of being responsible for the hamster deaths.
"Iga Swiatek?," the fan questioned.
However, Swiatek hilariously defended herself against the accusation, professing her innocence in the matter.
"It wasn't me!" she responded (Translated from Polish).
Iga Swiatek on her preparations for Wimbledon 2024: "I realize that I haven't fully discovered my potential on grass yet, so I'll concentrate on work"
Speaking to the Polish press after her triumph at the 2024 French Open, Iga Swiatek shed light on how she would prepare for the Wimbledon Championships, admitting that she has yet to realize her full potential on grass.
"I want to be successful wherever I play - you know! We do not underestimate any tournament, especially the Grand Slam. But I realize that I haven't fully discovered my potential on grass yet. So I'll concentrate on work," she said (via Przeglad Sportowy).
Despite the Paris Olympics being played on clay shortly after Wimbledon, the World No. 1 emphasized that she and her team would only shift their attention to the global sporting event after the conclusion of the grasscourt Major.
"Generally, the preparations will not be any different due to the Olympics. We will start thinking about them only after Wimbledon, because in tennis it's not like you have to be in shape for literally two weeks," she said.
"We rather have to be in top shape four or five times a year. Physically it is not always possible, but we will prepare as best we can and we will see," she added.
Iga Swiatek achieved her career-best finish at Wimbledon last year, reaching the quarterfinals before being defeated by Elina Svitolina.