Increased Security Measures Implemented for Iga Swiatek Following Harassment Incident at Miami Open

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has been given additional security measures at the Miami Open following an incident where a man harassed her during a practice session, raising concerns about the safety of female athletes.

Despite advancing to the fourth round after a victory over Belgium’s Elise Mertens on Monday, Swiatek’s achievement was overshadowed by the security scare, which occurred when a man made personal remarks during her earlier training.

Reports suggest that the man yelled at the former world No. 1 about her difficult relationship with her mother, shouting, “Hey, Iga, why don’t you call your mum? When are you going to sort things out with your mum?”

Swiatek’s team promptly informed tournament officials about the disruption, prompting the WTA to enhance security around the Polish player during matches, as reported by Polskie Radio 24.

“Player safety is our utmost priority,” remarked Swiatek’s public relations manager, Daria Sulgostowska.

Swiatek has expressed her feelings regarding the online backlash she has faced, particularly after a ball was hit close to a ball kid during her semi-final defeat to eventual champion Mirra Andreeva at Indian Wells earlier this month.

In an interview with Sky Sports in Miami, Swiatek noted that she has received criticism, especially from her fans back in Poland, following a lengthy Instagram post addressing the incident.

“I tried to explain why my emotions were heightened recently. It’s challenging to articulate this since I avoid checking social media during tournaments, but it isn’t always easy in Poland,” Swiatek shared.

“Internationally, people tend to have a more relaxed perspective about players and athletes in general. However, at home, there’s a tendency to scrutinise every small misstep, and I want them to understand that this is not the ideal way to support me.”

After her comprehensive online response, Swiatek attracted significant criticism, with former world No. 1 Andy Roddick suggesting she didn’t need to provide a “10-page” explanation and that a personal apology to the ball kid would have been more appropriate.

Boris Becker added his voice on social media, stating, “too many excuses and lengthy explanations… I’m not so sure anymore!”.

This incident concerning Swiatek follows a similar scare involving former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who noticed a stalker during her match at the Dubai Championships.