Iga Swiatek interview takes awkward turn after win: ‘Probably me spitting on you'
Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek's post-match interview took an awkward turn Sunday when the interviewer mentioned possibly spitting on her after beating Elena Rybakina in straight sets to reach the Cincinnati Open final.
'Wait, [is that] rain?' Swiatek, 24, said as she looked up at the sky, pausing a question about facing Jasmine Paolini in the final.
'No, it's probably me spitting on you when I'm asking you a question,' the interviewer said, which drew laughter from the audience at P&G Center Court.
Swiatek glossed over the remark and apologized for pausing the interview.
4 Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek's post match interview took an awkward turn when the interviewer mentioned possibly spitting on her after beating Elena Rybakina in straight sets to reach the Cincinnati Open final on August 17, 2025.
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4 Iga Swiatek said she thought she heard thunder during her post match interview after defeating Elena Rybakina in straight sets to reach the Cincinnati Open final on August 17, 2025.
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'I just heard something, I thought it was thunder,' she said. 'OK, whatever — sorry, that's just my mind.'
The interviewer added, 'It's an airplane' that the athlete heard.
4 Iga Swiatek poses with the Rookwood Cup after defeating Jasmine Paolini (ITA) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2025.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Swiatek, ranked third, won the Cincinnati Open title for the first time by defeating No. 7 Paolini, 7-5, 6-4 on Monday night.
Swiatek had failed to advance past the semifinals in her six previous appearances in Cincinnati — having lost to Coco Gauff in 2023 and Aryna Sabalenka in 2024.
4 Jasmine Paolini reacts after returning a shot against Iga Swiatek (POL) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2025.
Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Swiatek didn't drop a set during a phenomenal run at the U.S. Open tuneup.
The last two years, both the men's and women's Cincinnati Open champions went on to win the final major of the year.
Swiatek won the U.S. Open singles title in 2022.
The four-time French Open winner secured her first Wimbledon title after dominating American Amanda Anisimova last month.
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