Danielle Collins Opens Up on Fractious Olympic Games Incident with Iga Swiatek: 'With Women, It Becomes This Way Bigger Issue'

Collins Claims Swiatek's Behavior Was 'Disrespectful'

Danielle Collins, the American tennis player, has spoken out about her fractious encounter with Iga Swiatek at the Tokyo Olympics, labeling the Polish player's behavior as "disrespectful."

The incident occurred during their third-round match, where tensions flared between the two players. Collins accused Swiatek of not following proper tennis etiquette, such as not acknowledging her at the net after winning points.

Collins believes that Swiatek's behavior was particularly disrespectful given that she is a more experienced player. "I think there's a certain level of respect that you have to have for your opponents, especially when you're on the court with someone who's a little bit older than you and has maybe been playing the game a little bit longer," Collins said.

Swiatek Apologizes, but Collins Remains Unimpressed

After the match, Swiatek apologized for her behavior, explaining that she was "not feeling very well" and was "not in the right frame of mind." However, Collins was not impressed by the apology.

"I think it's a little bit convenient to say that you're not feeling well after a match like that," Collins said. "I think if you're not feeling well, you shouldn't be playing. I think it's very disrespectful to your opponent to go out there and not give your best effort."

Collins Believes Incident Highlights Gender Bias in Tennis

Collins also believes that the incident highlights the gender bias that exists in tennis. She argues that male players would not be as readily criticized for similar behavior.

"With women, it becomes this way bigger issue," Collins said. "I think if it was a man, it would be like, 'Oh, he's just competitive.' But with women, it's like, 'Oh, she's a bad sport.' I think there's a big difference in the way that men and women are treated in tennis."

Conclusion

The incident between Danielle Collins and Iga Swiatek has sparked a wider discussion about sportsmanship and gender bias in tennis.

Collins's comments have resonated with many in the tennis community, who believe that she has raised important issues that need to be addressed.