Iga Swiatek 'really happy' as she donates prize money to mental health charity after Ostrava loss to Barbora Krejcikova
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Updated 10/10/2022 at 07:54 GMT
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek "really wanted to play well here to have a big amount of money to donate" and she was left "pretty happy that I could do that" after she finished as the runner-up at WTA Ostrava. The Pole lost out to home favourite Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the tournament, but she was delighted to still be able to donate her significant purse to the cause.
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Iga Swiatek has announced that she will donate her prize money as the runner-up at WTA Ostrava in support of a Polish mental health charity.
Barbora Krejcikova, who won in Tallinn, Estonia last week, made it back-to-back titles on the WTA Tour as she clinched a thrilling 5-7 7-6(4) 6-3 victory in the showpiece match.
Krejcikova ended up being a hugely popular winner in front of her home fans as she recovered from a set down to beat the world No. 1 in very impressive fashion.
For the usually dominant Swiatek, it was only her second loss in a final in her entire career. It was her first loss in a final since her maiden showpiece in 2019, having won her last 10 in a row.
"I really wanted to play well here to have a big amount of money to donate, and I'm pretty happy that I could do that," Swiatek said.
"I really want to spread awareness and let people know that they can use the help if they need it, or help others if they have resources."
She added: "I'm pretty happy to use my position that way."
Swiatek also recently made a stand as she withdrew from the Billie Jean King Cup and lamented a schedule on the women's tennis tour that she says is "not safe" for the players.
The 21-year-old told her fans that she was "very sorry", "disappointed" and "sad" to have to pull out of the competition, where she had been hoping to represent Poland once more.
But she explained in a statement posted to her Instagram account that she would not be able to participate due to the condensed tennis schedule as she cited the failure of the WTA and ITF to "come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments".
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"I was thinking it through a lot and discussing it with my team all over again, but I will not be able to play at the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow," Swiatek said in her statement.
"It makes me sad. I'm very sorry because I play for Poland whenever it is possible and I always give it my best. Playing in Poland this year was an honour and I hoped to do this again at the end of the season.
"I'm disappointed that tennis governing bodies did not come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments, giving us only one day to travel through the globe and changing the time zone.
"This situation is not safe for our health and could cause injury. I'm going to talk to the WTA and ITF in order to change something. This situation is difficult not only for the players like me but mainly for the tennis fans that support our sport."
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