Speaking on the Kanar+ podcast, retired Slovak tennis star Daniela Hantuchova aired some dirty laundry as she lifted the lid on two shocking encounters involving Iga Swiatek and her team. The former world No. 5, who hung up her racket in 2017, didn’t hold back as she recounted incidents she found out of touch, with the six-time Grand Slam champion emerging as the biggest name in her explosive revelations.
👀 https://t.co/Y3ZO3pd2Uq
— Madziol (@madziol127) October 14, 2026
Chatting with former Czech tennis stars Klara Suchonova (formerly Koukalova) and Andrea Sestini Hlavackova, Hantuchova shared some WTA ‘diva’ stories that quickly grabbed attention. In her role at the Madrid Open, Hantuchova said she was surprised by the attitude of some WTA players toward their responsibilities beyond the court. She claimed she couldn’t persuade a single Top 5 women’s player to spend just 10 minutes with the main sponsor. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, she added, agreed immediately.
“Where is the respect and gratitude?” Hantuchova asked, expressing her belief that today’s stars want ever-higher prize money without giving enough back to the sport.
🎾🇸🇰 Daniela Hantuchová exposes the WTA’s “spoiled” stars! While managing the Madrid tournament, she couldn’t convince a single Top 5 player to spend 10 minutes with a main sponsor. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner immediately agreed.
Then came a citywide blackout in Madrid – yet Iga Świątek’s mental coach reportedly demanded heated chicken at 11 AM! Hantuchová also claims Świątek once personally brought her dirty laundry, expecting her to deal with it. 😳
“Where is the respect and gratitude?” asks the former world No. 5, who believes today’s stars want ever-higher prize money without giving enough back to the sport.— First Serve (@1st_serve_news) October 14, 2026
The one player she named specifically was Swiatek. The first incident Hantuchova described happened during Madrid’s citywide blackout in 2025, when Swiatek’s mental coach, Daria Abramowicz, allegedly requested warm chicken at 11 a.m. Hantuchova also recounted an encounter in which Swiatek brought her dirty laundry and asked what to do with it.
Hantuchova’s criticism reflects a concern that some players expect more from tournaments while giving too little in return, particularly when it comes to sponsor commitments and showing appreciation for the people working behind the scenes.
However, Swiatek deserves some benefit of the doubt before being branded a diva. First, even when there is no electricity, there still are ways to heat up food. Although the power outage was unexpected and everyone should have adjusted their expectations to accommodate the difficult circumstances, asking for a hot meal is not a sin. Secondly, when it comes to the laundry, Swiatek certainly didn’t expect Hantuchova to wash her clothes, but simply to help her find the laundry service at the venue. Hantuchova’s job at the tournament was to take care of players, so they reached out to her with their questions and problems.
