Swałtek reveals the reason behind her insistence on giving zero games, who is the queen of bagels in the history of 1000 tournaments

Swałtek’s way of trending was quite unique, and the reason was the very common occurrence of giving bagels.

The Polish player met Zeng Limi in the second round in Doha, and there was truly nothing noteworthy about the match. In every aspect, Swałtek was the clear favorite, and it was almost impossible for the Indonesian player to shock the top seed of the tournament.

Judging by Swałtek’s final score of 6-0 and 6-3, Zeng Limi encountered a formidable Polish opponent in this round, which many had predicted before the match was basically a walkover; she only resisted for 63 minutes before being swiftly defeated.

It’s likely that Swałtek herself did not expect that the bagel she handed to Zeng Limi would make her the center of media attention after the match.

After Swałtek swept past Zeng Limi and appeared at the press conference, a reporter finally asked a question that countless fans and netizens were curious about: after giving so many bagels in 1000 tournaments, has she ever considered conceding a game to her opponent?

The reason this question excited everyone so much was not only to understand Swałtek’s views on conceding games but also to see if the Polish player ever softened when her opponent was in such a nearly hopeless situation.

“I think when I was younger, I did feel that way,” Swałtek admitted. She said that earlier, when she saw opponents struggling to avoid a bagel, she sometimes hesitated between conceding a game or giving a bagel, but now, as she grows older, that initial thought has completely disappeared. She only wants to win now, and that’s the true path.

Regarding why she is now unwilling to concede games to avoid the embarrassment of giving a bagel, Swałtek explained, “This is sports, so stopping or playing at 80% capacity makes no sense. I have always believed that deliberately giving opponents chances is disrespectful because we are here to perform at our best. I always focus on myself, nothing else.”

After these words from Swałtek were shared by the media, they received massive praise, which can be summarized simply as: giving your all in competitive sports is the real respect for fans and opponents, while conceding games only brings disgrace.

In the past, when the Polish player repeatedly lost sets or matches with bagel scores, some fans and netizens were puzzled, thinking Swałtek could have conceded a game since they are all sisters in tennis and shouldn’t be so ruthless; after all, the victory was guaranteed, so conceding a game wouldn’t change the result.

However, others argued that Swałtek has no reason to concede games because doing so is like indirectly telling the opponent they are not good enough. On the surface, it might save face, but in reality, it’s a disguised insult that few with pride could accept.

Now that Swałtek has told everyone that her refusal to concede games is out of respect for her opponents, it aligns well with what most people think. As one netizen put it, competitive sports should be about fighting for every inch, and conceding games only tarnishes the sport. “Whether paying spectators or online viewers, everyone wants to see the most genuine contest, not a show.”

After the Polish player’s words gained wide approval, another interesting question arose: how many bagels has Iga given in 1000 tournaments so far, and is she the queen of bagels in women’s tennis?

Including the bagel given to Zeng Limi in Doha, Swałtek has handed out a total of 36 bagels in 1000 tournaments so far. Although this number makes her the top bagel-giver among post-2000 players, she ranks only second among active players in 1000 tournaments, with the Belarusian star Azarenka leading at 37 bagels.

Of course, the queen of bagels in women’s 1000 tournaments is not Azarenka, which might surprise some; it is actually the Swiss princess Hingis, not the widely assumed queen Serena Williams. The Swiss star has given out 52 bagels.

Serena Williams ranks second with 50 bagels at this level of competition, followed by Martinez with 40. Swałtek currently ranks fifth on this list.

Of course, Swałtek is only 24 years old now and has a great chance to surpass both Serena Williams and Hingis in the future because she has the ability to do so.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River Sky)