Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams’ former coach, recently revisited a tense exchange she had with Caitlin Thompson, founder of Racquet magazine, regarding Iga Świątek’s doping case. This conversation occurred in the aftermath of Świątek’s provisional suspension for testing positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) in August 2024, a case that was later explained as a result of contaminated medication.
On The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, Thompson initially discussed how tennis could improve communication about doping violations, especially given the confusion surrounding cases like those of Jannik Sinner and Świątek. She suggested that having a central figure in tennis to explain these cases would help ease the pressure on players and provide clarity for fans.
However, the conversation became tense when Stubbs asked Thompson for her thoughts on Sinner and Świątek. Thompson started by saying she did not dislike Świątek but then implied that Świątek was not as enjoyable to watch as some of her contemporaries. This led to a back-and-forth where Stubbs pushed back, claiming Thompson had made controversial comments about Świątek in the past. Thompson’s comparison of Świątek to Justine Henin—where she stated that while Henin was her favorite player and entertaining to watch, she found Świątek less exciting—had previously sparked backlash from Świątek’s fans.
This comparison of Świątek to Henin, a five-time Grand Slam champion known for her flair on the court, drew a sharp reaction, especially as Henin herself had praised Świątek’s talents ahead of the 2024 French Open, where Świątek claimed her fourth Roland Garros title. Stubbs shut down the discussion, expressing frustration with the comparison and making it clear that she didn’t want to revisit it.
The exchange highlighted a divide in opinions on Świątek’s style of play, with some fans finding her less thrilling compared to other tennis stars, despite her immense success on the court.
