Iga Świątek finally broke through at Wimbledon, ending her title drought with a dominant victory over Amanda Anisimova.
But her historic triumph sparked an unexpected controversy when Coco Gauff’s former coach questioned the strength of the Pole’s competition, leading to a heated exchange on social media.
How Did Brad Gilbert’s Remark Seemingly Offend Iga Świątek’s Physio, Maciej Ryszczuk?
Świątek entered the final as the favorite, but few anticipated just how commanding her performance would be against the American. The Pole needed only 57 minutes to outclass Anisimova 6-0, 6-0.
Without losing a single game, Świątek delivered a rare ‘double bagel,’ the first in a Wimbledon women’s final during the Open Era and also the first since 1911. What made the World No. 3’s dominance at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships even more remarkable was that, aside from her second-round match, she won every encounter in straight sets.
A new Wimbledon champion is crowned
Iga Swiatek defeats Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to win the 2025 Ladies’ Singles Trophy #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ZnznTxwO5A
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2025
However, Świątek didn’t compete against any top-10 opponent en route to the coveted grass-court Major. The highest-ranked opponents she faced were No. 12 Anisimova and No. 19 Samsonova. This detail caught the attention of Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s former coach, who took to X to highlight this statistical anomaly.
“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,” he wrote.
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
Gilbert’s observation didn’t sit well with Maciej Ryszczuk, Świątek’s strength and conditioning coach. Ryszczuk felt that Gilbert was downplaying the Pole’s achievement and fired back at the former World No. 4’s remarks, even referencing his 1993 book ‘Winning Ugly.’
“@bgtennisnation it’s so low that even you can feel the bottom. Do your research better. Winning ugly doesn’t mean commenting ugly,” he wrote on X.
@bgtennisnation it’s so low that even you can feel the bottom. Do your research better. Winning ugly doesn’t mean commenting ugly
— Maciej Ryszczuk (@MRyszczuk) July 12, 2025
Beyond the social media drama, Świątek’s victory carried historic significance. She became the first Polish player to win a Wimbledon singles title in the Open Era and also celebrated her 100th Grand Slam match win on Saturday, July 12.
How Did Świątek Celebrate Her Historic Wimbledon Victory?
Świątek’s monumental Wimbledon triumph overwhelmed her with emotion. She collapsed to the ground in relief after the match and took a moment to absorb the significance of her victory fully.
The moment was too big to celebrate alone. Świątek rushed toward her team, embracing each member, including her coach Wim Fissette. She also shared a poignant moment with her family, hugging her father Tomasz and her sister Agata, who had cheered her on from Centre Court.
Iga Swiatek hugs her dad and sister after winning her first Wimbledon title.
Beautiful scenes. pic.twitter.com/VauGiUryUd
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 12, 2025
While the Pole got emotional as she celebrated the moment with her family, her opponent, Anisimova, fought back tears during her post-match speech while thanking her mother for her support.
MORE: WATCH — Jannik Sinner and Iga Świątek’s First Dance Together at Wimbledon Champions’ Ball Emerges
