Swiatek was criticized for sulking after swallowing a bagel, netizens say: This isn’t the first time.

At the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Swiatek faced a surprising loss with Rybakina mounting a comeback. Swiatek began steadily, taking the first set 6-3, but the match took a sharp turn afterward. Rybakina completely controlled the following two sets, winning 6-1 and 6-0, claiming her first win against Swiatek in their five meetings this year. However, the post-match focus was not on Rybakina’s impressive performance but rather on Swiatek’s behavior on court, which sparked controversy again.

Journalist Jose Morgado wrote on social platform X: “Swiatek did not shake hands with the chair umpire.” His tweet quickly drew attention, reigniting discussion about Swiatek’s post-match conduct within the tennis community. However, this claim was soon questioned by many netizens.

Several social media users commented under Morgado’s tweet, pointing out that his statement was misleading. One user wrote, “You should delete this tweet; she did shake hands with the umpire.” Another added, “Swiatek shook hands with the umpire after packing up her racket. She might have still been upset after losing. I think your post only misleads people and serves no purpose.”

In fact, Swiatek has previously faced criticism for her conduct after losses. For example, during the 2025 French Open, in a match against Rybakina, she was caught on camera speaking to chair umpire Carlos Nunez. At 4-4 in the deciding set, when Nunez went down to check Rybakina’s serve placement, Swiatek said, “I didn’t tell you to go look.” This remark immediately sparked controversy, with many feeling she showed poor sportsmanship.

Returning to this year-end final, world No. 2 Swiatek unusually suffered a “bagel” in the match, complicating the qualification scenario for the "Serena Williams group." Meanwhile, Rybakina, having won her first two matches, was in a strong position. Swiatek maintained her usual high intensity early on, breaking serve to take the first set. But then the momentum shifted dramatically—Rybakina unleashed her power, winning 12 of the last 13 games, demonstrating great strength and focus.

In the post-match on-court interview, Rybakina discussed the keys to her victory. The Tennis Letter shared her remarks on X. She said the win came from mental toughness and tactical adjustments: “Playing against Iga is always tough; she brings a lot of intensity. I felt she started well, and I was a bit slow at first, getting broken in the opening game which was tough. But in the second set, I pushed myself harder, my serve improved, and I’m happy I kept moving forward, playing each point better. I’m very pleased with my performance and grateful for everyone’s support.”

Rybakina further emphasized the importance of mindset: “Mentally, I’m glad I stayed focused and didn’t give up after losing the first set. I worked hard to stay aggressive, executed the tactics agreed with my coach, and concentrated more on my serve. When I took the lead in the second set, my confidence grew, and everything started going my way. I hope to maintain this form throughout the tournament.”

This victory was significant for Rybakina—it finally ended her losing streak against Swiatek. The competition at the Riyadh Finals is now even more unpredictable, and the next showdown between these two top players is highly anticipated.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Huohua)