Swiatek explains his suspension for doping: "A substance I'd never heard of".
Iga Swiatek, who tested positive for trimetazidine last August, was quick to explain her suspension.
The world no. 2, who had decided to take a break following her quarter-final loss at the US Open, had in fact been provisionally suspended from the WTA Tour.
The ITIA today revealed that she had tested positive just before the start of the Cincinnati tournament, before sanctioning her with a one-month suspension (most of which she has already served).
In a lengthy video, the Pole went back over the facts and explained in greater detail the reasons for her positive test: "On September 12, I learned that a test I had taken on August 12 had come back positive. I was shocked and very anxious. At first, I couldn't understand where it was coming from or how it was possible.
When I analyzed the test, there was a very low level of trimetazidine, a substance I'd never heard of before.
I didn't know it existed. I felt it was very unfair and the weeks that followed were very chaotic.
We reacted immediately and cooperated with the ITIA. Tests showed that the melatonin I had been using for a long time had been contaminated. After finding the source of the contamination, we had to prove it.
Melatonin is necessary for me because of travel, jet-lag and the stress of my job. Sometimes I couldn't sleep without it, I had trouble sleeping.
We needed time to conclude this case, which is why the information came out now. On September 12, I was provisionally suspended, which prevented me from playing tournaments in Asia and defending my ranking.
It's a consequence of this situation, but it's not what matters most to me.
What mattered was proving my innocence. Now that the situation has come to an end, I've been suspended for a month, as a symbolic gesture.
22 days have gone by, and there are still eight to go. Which means I can start my season clean.
It'll stay with me for the rest of my life. I didn't know what was going to happen with my career, if I was going to be able to play tennis again."
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