"I never experienced that before" - Iga Swiatek touched by generosity of Chinese tennis fans after receiving 'beautiful' gift

Iga Swiatek has praised the Chinese fans for the thoughtful gifts they gave her when she arrived in the country for a tournament two years ago. Swiatek said that she received a comic book from a fan, which she called "beautiful."

After her win over Yue Yuan in the second round of the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, Swiatek was asked by a reporter about receiving a "fan book" and her reaction to the "general fan vibe" in China.

"I don't know if we're talking about the same thing. Yeah, I got like a book with drawings," the Pole said. "It was like a comic book. It was beautiful. People are really talented."

She also expressed appreciation for the effort Asian fans put into creating meaningful gifts for players. She reflected on how touched she was when she first received such presents two years ago.

"I was shocked two years ago when I came here and I got gifts like that because I never experienced that before. Now it's even more, I would say. People are really thankful and grateful for us coming and playing, sometimes inspiring them. Yeah, it's something for sure that will motivate us, as well. It's great."

Swiatek's comments come amid controversies involving American tennis star Taylor Townsend and Italian Lorenzo Musetti. Townsend sparked backlash after posting videos in which she appeared to mock Chinese cuisine during the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen.

She was accused of cultural insensitivity and xenophobia. Townsend later issued an apology, saying she understood her comments were hurtful.

Musetti, meanwhile, was criticized for his remarks about Chinese fans during a match in Beijing. Musetti allegedly said in Italian: "Sti cazzo di cinesi... tossiscono sempre. Dai... ecco," which translates to: "Those damn Chinese... they're always coughing!"

Musetti later apologised, saying the comment was made in the heat of the moment and that he did not intend to cause offense.

---

Iga Swiatek to take on Camila Osorio in the China Open 3R

Iga Swiatek at the 2025 China Open - Source: Getty

Iga Swiatek made an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, but found her rhythm in the grass swing. She reached the final in Bad Homburg and then went on to capture her first Wimbledon title.

Swiatek carried that form into the hard-court swing, with a dominant run to the title in Cincinnati. After a quarter-final exit at the US Open, she won the Korea Open.

The World No. 2 received a bye in the first round of the China Open and defeated Yue Yuan in the second to improve her win-loss record to 58-13. She is set to take on Colombia's Camila Osorio in the third round. This will be the second encounter between the pair, with Swiatek leading their head-to-head 1-0.