Iga Swiatek weathers reality pitfalls with “Break Point” Netflix series

WATCH: Swiatek spoke to the press after an emphatic opening-round win over Danielle Collins in Cincinnati.

CINCINNATI, Ohio—Iga Swiatek was left with mix feelings after watching her docuseries debut as part of Netflix’s “Break Point.”

Though the world No. 1 enjoyed her time in front of the camera—as much as can any avowed introvert is capable—Swiatek took issue with the editing bay after advancing at the Western & Southern Open, wishing fans had gotten a fuller view of her on- and off-court life.

“I think it's great that we have something like that in tennis,” she began after blitzing Danielle Collins in straight sets on Wednesday. “On the other hand, from our perspective when we watch the show, we know sometimes a little bit more and we know that this is the show also for people who don't know a lot about tennis.

“I totally get why they are doing stuff like that, but there was some stuff that I wanted to be included—for example, the exhibition in Krakow—but it wasn't. So it was kind of sad for me. But overall, yeah, it was a nice experience and I learned a lot about myself.”

Swiatek has won universal acclaim for her efforts to help the Ukrainian people, wearing a ribbon in support of the war-torn country since the Russian-Belarusian invasion began in 2022, and hosted the aforementioned “Iga Swiatek and Friends “exhibition last July.

“Honestly I wasn't one of these players that agreed to everything, because I didn't want the crew to kind of be, I don't know, at my house or shooting with my family a lot,” she clarified.

“But I showed a little bit of my private life. We showed few things with my sister. But I guess it was pretty tight, because it's hard to have a normal conversation with your sibling in front of the cameras, you know? That's why I also thought that it's kind of maybe I'm not ready for things like this yet.

“But they were in Krakow, and I think the atmosphere there was so great that it would be worth it to show it and also, the other side of the kind of involvement that some players have with helping Ukrainians and Ukraine.

“So, yeah, it's shame that they didn't show it, but maybe it's better to ask them why. Maybe didn't fit the episode or the storyline.”

Swiatek’s footage was most prominently featured in the series’ retelling of the 2022 US Open, which she won over “Break Point” castmate Ons Jabeur in the final. Dropping its second batch of episodes ahead of this year’s Wimbledon Championships, the invasion into Ukraine was explained in context of Aryna Sabalenka, who has repeatedly disavowed the conflict—both to Netflix and directly to the press.

Though the Netflix crew has been filming various players in Cincinnati, it does not appear that Swiatek has agreed to rejoin the cast for the show’s second season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2024.