Tennis fans have rallied behind Iga Świątek after a comment from Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, sparked backlash online.
Gilbert’s remark, which pointed out that Świątek didn’t face any top-10 opponents during her victorious 2025 Wimbledon run, was widely perceived as a thinly veiled jab at the Polish star’s latest Grand Slam success.
Iga Świątek Dominates at Wimbledon Despite Opponent Quality
Świątek, the former World No. 1 and now a six-time Grand Slam champion, clinched her first Wimbledon title. She dismantled No. 13 seed Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final, a rare double bagel in a Slam championship match.
The eighth seed had a commanding run to the final, defeating the likes of Polina Kudermetova, Caty McNally, Danielle Collins, Clara Tauson, Liudmila Samsonova, and Belinda Bencic. Yet, for some observers, including Gilbert, the absence of top-10 competition in her draw stood out more than the dominance she displayed throughout the fortnight.
Gilbert, who coached Gauff from August 2023 until their split in September 2024, took to X after the final to spotlight that particular detail, writing: “crazy Iga Pop tourney stat, the highest ranked player she has played this @Wimbledon Samsonova at 19 AA is ranked 12, not sure when last time someone won a slam without facing a top 10 player.”
crazy Iga Pop tourney stat,the highest ranked player she has played this @Wimbledon Samsonova at 19 AA is ranked 12, not sure when last time someone won a slam without facing a top 10 player @tennistweetscom @SharkoTennis
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) July 12, 2025
The post, which came just hours after Świątek’s triumph, immediately drew criticism from fans who felt it undermined her achievement. Tennis followers didn’t hold back, accusing Gilbert of trying to diminish Świątek’s moment of glory, especially given his ties to her rival, Gauff, who lost in the first round at SW19.
One fan questioned the intent behind the comment, writing, “Why are you belittling Iga Swiatek’s success right after her Wimbledon triumph? Is that appropriate for a renowned coach who trained her rival?”
Why are you belittling Iga Swiatek’s success right after her Wimbledon triumph? Is that appropriate for a renowned coach who trained her rival? https://t.co/qJqwCZTf2J
— Dominik Senkowski (@dsenkowski07) July 12, 2025
Another drew comparisons with Ashleigh Barty, noting that she “won three slams without a top ten win like it’s not that rare,” challenging the notion that Świątek’s run was exceptional in that regard.
Barty won three slams without a top ten win like it’s not that rare https://t.co/ClSq86emDU
— J. (@p3hagz) July 12, 2025
Several users also criticized the logic of blaming Świątek for not facing top seeds, pointing out that she can’t control who advances in the draw. One pointed out, “Takes like this has to stop. 128 players in the majors draw, 32 are seeded. Yes, it’s a stat, but it’s not the champion and lower-ranked players’ fault that top-ranked players fell through early. You are invalidating all the hard work of the players and the champion.”
Takes like this has stop. 128 players in the majors draw, 32 are seeded. Yes, it’s a stat, but it’s not the champion and lower-ranked players’ fault that top-ranked players fell through early.
You are invalidating all the hard work of the players and the champion. https://t.co/eJ9mWfoats
— Joan Mirano (@joanmirano) July 12, 2025
Another sarcastically added, “It’s not her fault that Coco and Peggy lost in the first round, cry harder grandpa,” referencing early exits from other favorites in the draw.
it’s not her fault that coco and peggy lost in the first round, cry harder grandpa https://t.co/Flztx4OrFG pic.twitter.com/IoGiXyzuWm
— olita (@poetryharreh) July 12, 2025
“It is not Iga’s fault that they were off the tournament earlier. She could have played Coco, JPeg, Mirra, Rybakina, Navarro. But they lost too early,” one user wrote.
Accusations of Bias Cloud Gilbert’s Commentary
Some went a step further and accused Gilbert of having personal bias. One user suggested, “The only time this guy posts about women’s tennis is to show Iga’s achievements in negative light. Disgusting behavior. I can just imagine it’s because she never even considered to hire him.”
MORE: Iga Świątek Involved in a Very Emotional Moment With Sister and Father After Winning First Wimbledon Title
Another chimed in with a similar take: “Beginning to think he must have been rejected as a candidate for Iga’s coach because how are you this salty?”
Others pointed to statistics, dismantling the idea that winning a major without beating a top-10 player is an anomaly. A fan cited that it has happened “10 times in 30 Slams since 2018,” naming instances like Świątek herself at the 2022 French Open, Raducanu at the 2021 US Open, and Barty’s own three Slam wins.
One user simply wrote: “What happened to you man? What an awful tweet!”
