Swiatek was 'scared' of reaction after doping ban

Iga Swiatek was "scared" of a hostile absorption to her doping prohibition and says she does not expect an entreaty by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) aft serving a one-month suspension.

Five-time large victor Swiatek, 23, tested positive for the bosom medicine trimetazidine (TMZ) successful August, erstwhile she was satellite fig one.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the trial effect was caused by contamination and Swiatek's abbreviated suspension ended connected 4 December.

Men's satellite fig 1 Jannik Sinner did not person a prohibition aft failing 2 tests successful March and WADA has appealed against that decision - but Swiatek said she does not spot "any reason" for a akin result successful her case.

On the anticipation of a WADA appeal, Swiatek said: "I was suspended for a agelong clip and I mislaid [world] fig 1 due to the fact that of that. I besides cognize however the process worked and I gave each imaginable evidence.

"There is not much, honestly, to bash more. So I'm not expecting an appeal, but I person nary power connected what's going to happen."

The ITIA accepted that Swiatek's affirmative trial was caused by contamination of the regulated non-prescription medicine melatonin, manufactured and sold successful Poland, which Swiatek took for pitchy lag and slumber issues.

Swiatek's level of responsibility was recovered to beryllium astatine the lowest extremity of the scope for 'no important responsibility oregon negligence'.

The Pole missed 3 tournaments - the Korea Open, China Open and Wuhan Open - during her suspension. She was besides forced to forfeit her prize wealth from the Cincinnati Open, the tourney that straight followed the test.

Speaking astatine a quality league earlier the season-opening United Cup successful Australia, the four-time French Open victor addressed the media and public's absorption to her suspension for the archetypal time.

Swiatek said: "I deliberation their effect has been much affirmative than I thought.

"I deliberation astir radical are knowing and the ones who work the documents and are alert of however the strategy works cognize that I had nary responsibility and I had nary power connected what was going on.

"Overall the reaction, successful Poland fundamentally due to the fact that this is mostly what I read, has been beauteous supportive. I really, truly admit that, due to the fact that adjacent erstwhile I missed the China plaything and cipher knew why, it wasn't truthful easy.

"I was frightened that astir radical were going to crook their backmost connected me. But I felt the enactment and it's great. Obviously determination are going to beryllium immoderate antagonistic comments and you're not going to debar that. I conscionable person to judge that and I don't truly attraction astir those, honestly."

Italian Sinner inactive faces the menace of a imaginable suspension pursuing his affirmative trial for the anabolic steroid clostebol aft Wada launched an entreaty to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Swiatek and Sinner volition commencement among the favourites for the year's archetypal Grand Slam, with the Australian Open opening successful Melbourne connected 12 January.

While Sinner won the men's rubric successful January, Swiatek has ne'er gone beyond the semi-finals astatine Melbourne Park and mislaid to Linda Noskova successful the 3rd circular of the 2024 tournament.