World No. 2 demoted to mere mortal status in behind the scenes moment at Aus Open

Even being one of the world’s best tennis players doesn’t get you everywhere.

Iga Swiatek experienced one of the Australian Open’s strictest rules on Monday ahead of her fourth round victory over Aussie Maddison Inglis.

Cameras spotted the Polish superstar jogging through the bowels of Melbourne Park in a bit of a rush, only to be held up by security.

The World No. 2 was told by security staff she needed her official accreditation lanyard to get into a player’s area.

Swiatek was then seen making a phone call as she was held up for two minutes, before a member of her team brought her accreditation to her and she was allowed to pass through, running to her next destination.

It’s not the first time a top player has been stopped by security inside Melbourne Park.

Back in 2019, Roger Federer was made to wait at a checkpoint as an attentive security guard wouldn’t let him go through a door without his accreditation.

Cameras caught the dedicated employee playing nightclub bouncer but instead of when you were 18 and had to pretend to be sober enough to gain entry, Federer had to wait for his friends to come and vouch for him.

To his credit, the Swiss maestro didn’t kick up a fuss, calmly waiting before his coach turned up alongside a colleague and the trio were allowed to pass through.

Swiatek is one of the contenders to win the women’s Australian Open title as she looks to complete a career Grand Slam by winning all four majors.

She was a class above Maddison Inglis in the fourth round, defeating the Aussie 6-0 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.

Swiatek said she planned to stay out of the extreme heat on Tuesday as she gears up for a quarterfinal match against fifth seed Elena Rybakina on Wednesday.

She said in her post match interview on court: “I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s supposed to be like 42 celsius right?”

“Oh my god. I have no idea what I’m gonna do.”

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her quest for a third Australian Open crown with a comfortable 6-3 6-0 win over American teenager Iva Jovic on Tuesday.

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