During the recent WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid, a controversy erupted involving Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek. After the match, Sabalenka allegedly made a derogatory remark, calling Świątek a “Polski bękart” (Polish bastard). This incident drew significant attention and criticism from both fans and the media.
The tension between the two players was evident during the post-match ceremony. Despite the incident, Świątek maintained her composure, thanking her team and acknowledging Sabalenka’s challenging play, which she said motivated her to improve [[❞]](https://borealit.com/2024/05/05/wielki-triumf-a-potem-takie-slowa-iga-swiatek-zwrocila-sie-wprost-do-sabalenki-2/) [[❞]](https://przegladsportowy.onet.pl/tenis/mecz-igi-swiatek-z-aryna-sabalenka-skonczyl-sie-afera-burza-po-slowach-polki/6cpdlcm).
This incident is part of a larger pattern of contentious interactions between Sabalenka and Świątek, highlighting the intense rivalry between the two top-ranked players [[❞]](https://borealit.com/2024/05/05/wielki-triumf-a-potem-takie-slowa-iga-swiatek-zwrocila-sie-wprost-do-sabalenki-2/) [[❞]](https://przegladsportowy.onet.pl/tenis/mecz-igi-swiatek-z-aryna-sabalenka-skonczyl-sie-afera-burza-po-slowach-polki/6cpdlcm).