Iga Swiatek Answers Bizarre ‘Sweaty Towel’ Question by Citing Rafael Nadal’s Example

Iga Swiatek has now reached the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slam tournaments this season. She knocked out Russian ace Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1 to book a spot in the last four of the US Open for the third time in her career.

At the press conference after the match, Swiatek addressed the hat controversy after compatriot Kamil Majchrzak‘s match against Karen Khachanov in the second round. In the now viral clip, Majchrzak could be seen giving his hat to a kid, but a man standing beside him snatched it.

Swiatek admitted that she had not watched the video yet. She was asked whether players, instead of throwing their stuff toward the fans, should hand it to them directly.

I mean, ‘coz obviously like usually like seven people reach out for one thing, and for example, if it’s a girl and the boys have longer arms, it’s not kind of she’s not going to catch it. But I usually throw it at the person that is supposed to get it. So, I try to be fair, kind of. But I don’t pick like… I pick a person kind of randomly, or whoever shouts louder. And I know it’s not fair, but obviously not everybody’s going to be happy.

The journalist then asked the World No.2 whether she sometimes finds it strange that fans want her ‘sweaty towels’. Swiatek joked that she never found it weird since she herself wanted one from Rafael Nadal as a kid.

No, because I would love to have a sweaty towel of Rafa’s when I was a kid, so, no… Well, sometimes it’s strange when I try to give something to the kid and they get that, grabs it, then I’m like, ‘Come on, that’s not the point.’

That man who snatched the hat is Piotr Szczerek, a Polish millionaire CEO of paving company Drogbruk. At first, a statement that was claimed to be made by him did rounds on social media.

According to that statement, he threatened to sue those who were criticizing him. Szczerek, in a Facebook post, called it a fake statement and apologized for snatching the hat, taking “full responsibility for my extremely poor judgement and hurtful actions“.

Iga Swiatek will lock horns with Amanda Anisimova next

Iga Swiatek will now be up against a player whom she double-bageled in the Wimbledon final this year. It’s Amanda Anisimova, who has reached the quarterfinals of her home tournament for the first time in her career. This is the fourth time Anisimova will be playing a Grand Slam quarterfinal.