‘This Is Not What People Meant’ – Iga Świątek Perplexes Fans With Unusual Training Drill

World-class athletes are no strangers to tough training methods, but Iga Świątek’s latest workout has left tennis fans both baffled and concerned. The six-time Grand Slam champion recently posted a story on Instagram showing her training on a hard court while wearing a massive tidal tank hydrovest strapped to her shoulders.

To add a playful touch, she included a poll for her followers: “Can you guess the weight on my back?” While Świątek might have intended to share a lighthearted, behind-the-scenes look into her training, the fanbase on X was bemused.

Iga Świątek Adds Unusual Training Drill Ahead of North American Swing

A Świątek fanpage account @igaitana11 shared the video on X, with a caption:
“tidal tank hydrovest, maciej and his guinea pig 😭⁣.” The hydrovest is used to improve dynamic balance, core strength, and rotational power by forcing the player’s body to react to unpredictable shifts in water weight.

Fans were quick to react, with some joking about the exercise.

“Iga this is not what the people meant when they said they want fun content,” one fan commented.

“Lmfao just when you think you’ve seen it all, bloody hilarious,” another fan added.

Others took a more critical stance toward her team’s methods.

“Why did he makes Iga do weird and tiring exercise?” one individual questioned, echoing a sentiment shared by many who worry about the Pole’s burnout.

“never in my life have i seen that device-” wrote another fan.

It has been a transitional but somewhat frustrating 2026 season for the Polish star. Świątek changed her coach, parting ways with Wim Fissette to officially hire Francisco Roig, who is famous for his 17-year tenure mentoring Rafael Nadal, in April. Before the clay-court swing, the 25-year-old had also practiced with Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain.

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However, she is still in an unusual title drought and has dropped to World No. 8 in the WTA rankings. Her most promising result this year came at the Italian Open, where she reached the semifinals. Outside of Rome, however, her performances have fallen short of high standards, including a quarterfinal exit at Stuttgart, a fourth-round loss to Marta Kostyuk at the French Open, and a frustrating third-round defeat to Alexandra Eala at Wimbledon.

Despite the social media noise, Świątek is focused on her training. She is currently gearing up for the North American hard-court swing, with her sights set on the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Toronto and her title defense in Cincinnati.