The worst season start for the Silk Stockings, with the former coach shifting blame to the psychologist, while her father fiercely rebukes the critics.

Former world number one Swiatek has had a rough start this season, being swept by Gauff in the United Cup semifinals, then losing without winning a game to Bencic in the final. At the Australian Open quarterfinals earlier this year, she was defeated by Rybakina; subsequently, at the Doha 1000 tournament, she lost to Sakkari and exited in the quarterfinals. In response to this series of defeats, Swiatek’s former coach spoke out again, bringing her collaboration with psychologist Abramovich back into the spotlight.

Abramovich has been by Swiatek’s side since 2019, witnessing her growth from a 17-year-old rising star to a top player with six Grand Slam titles and a world number one ranking. Despite several coaching changes—from Szilzpujski to Viktorovski, and now current coach Fisset—Abramovich has remained a constant presence within the team.

In a recent episode of the Polish podcast "Trzeci Serwis," Swiatek’s youth coach Artur Szostachiko questioned this partnership during an interview with journalist Lech Sidorek.

Szostachiko said on the show, “I don’t know any tennis player who spends all day and night with a psychologist. They go on vacations together, compete together, watch movies together. Iga is very dependent on her.” Although he added that he had no objection if this benefited Swiatek, his tone clearly conveyed surprise.

Host Sidorek was even more blunt: “At the Australian Open and Doha, it’s hard to see any help from Abramovich. Iga was very nervous and had no practical coping strategies. People are starting to view this arrangement differently.” He even suggested that perhaps during the preparation period, they should spend some time apart, “even if just for a week, to let everything rest.”

These remarks quickly provoked strong dissatisfaction from Swiatek’s team. Tomasz Swiatek, who often travels with his daughter to tournaments, appeared directly in the YouTube program’s comment section to fiercely respond to the two critics.

“What have you two actually achieved? Almost nothing. Mind your own business. You have no idea what’s going on!” Tomasz wrote. Some reports indicate his language was even more direct and included profanity. This response was quickly picked up by international tennis media, bringing what was originally a domestic Polish discussion to a global audience.

This controversy sparked widespread debate both inside and outside the tennis world, with opinions sharply divided.

The critics argue that “boundaries have been crossed.” This is not the first time Abramovich has faced scrutiny. As early as 2025, Polish sports psychologist Dariusz Nowicki stated that “certain boundaries between therapist and player” had been crossed and described this partnership as “problematic.” Another psychological coach, Jakub B. Bacek, also warned that such a long-term close collaboration might become a “trap.” During the Doha tournament, TV footage showed Abramovich becoming visibly emotional and shouting when Swiatek was trailing, which further fueled fan criticism.

Some social media users wrote, “That woman who always makes faces when Iga loses—aren’t you supposed to be the calmer one who supports her?” Another fan questioned, “Daria has ‘supported’ Iga for so many years, but has our outstanding player improved her behavior on court? To me, the older Iga gets, the more fearful she seems on the court.”

Supporters argue that “results speak for themselves.” Despite the doubts, many voices defend this long-term partnership. After all, under Abramovich’s guidance, Swiatek won six Grand Slam titles and held the world number one spot for a long time. Swiatek herself has publicly stated that psychological training helped her break the stereotype of being “overly emotional” and build mental toughness on court.

Some believe that since this collaboration has produced such remarkable achievements, outside criticism is somewhat “easy to say from the sidelines.” Szostachiko himself admitted, “If this benefits a player who was world number two, former number one, and has six Grand Slams, what else can I say?”

The neutral camp calls for respect for personal choices. Some commentators note that relationships between athletes and their team members vary widely with no one-size-fits-all model. One commenter wrote, “As long as no rules are broken and the athlete is not harmed, it is her freedom to choose whom to be with and how to organize her team. Outsiders really have no right to interfere.”

For Swiatek’s team, the father’s firm stance may temporarily silence criticism, but what will truly settle the matter is performance on the court. When this six-time Grand Slam champion returns to competition, whether her close partnership with Abramovich can once again speak through victories might be the strongest response to the doubters.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)