Last year, after thrashing the current world No. 6 Amanda Anisimova in the final, Iga Swiatek’s impressive Wimbledon run earned her the nickname “towel thief.” The Pole was seen stuffing towels into her bag at the court, getting caught red-handed in the process. This year, though, it appears the defending champion has no plans to stop the playful habit that gave rise to her memorable nickname.

“Let’s start with the fact that I don’t have any towels left from last year,” Iga Swiatek said before her opening round match on Tuesday. “My friends want it, my family wants it. I gave it to some charity because the thing became viral, obviously. So I guess I should steal even more. Yeah, I will continue that because that’s the best kind of souvenir you can get from a tournament,” she said later.

The six-time Grand Slam winner was then asked about the new limited-edition “Red” towel introduced at SW19 this year. After learning it was not an on-court towel for this year’s SW19 edition, the former world No. 1 smiled and added, “I’ll ask for it, anyway.”

The 25-year-old’s love for SW19 towels is nothing new. Even last year, after beating 23-year-old Polina Kudermetova in the first round, Iga openly admitted that she enjoys collecting them.

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The Pole also explained that every time she returns home from a Grand Slam, her friends and family are already waiting for their towels. “Honestly, I take towels from everywhere; people just don’t notice that,” Iga said. “Here, it’s suddenly a big thing, it’s all a bit humiliating.”

Still, there is something special about the towels from Wimbledon, as they have become almost as iconic as the tournament itself.

The famous green and purple towels are available on the SW19’s online retail shop for around $63.59. They are nearly as recognizable as SW19’s strawberries and cream, which remain one of the event’s most popular souvenirs.

Many of the game’s biggest stars have admitted they love taking them home, including the eight-time champion Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and now the Pole.

“The Wimbledon towels are of the best quality after you wash them. I use them daily in Warsaw, so I can recommend them,” she added last year while talking to Martina Navratilova at the Tennis Channel desk.

And as the defending champion prepares to defend her Venus Rosewater Dish against Taylor Townsend in the opening round, the grass-court Slam is also the place where she once revealed one of her favorite dishes, a choice that caught many fans off guard.

Iga Swiatek reveals her favorite off-court meal: Strawberries and Pasta

Last year, alongside her story regarding the towel, the Polish ace also surprised fans with another unexpected revelation. After cruising past the third round of the Championships, the 25-year-old was asked about her unusual food choice. 

“Why is it such a big thing? Everybody should eat that,” Iga said with a smile after explaining the dish of strawberries with pasta. “I think in summer, kids are eating it a lot. I don’t know. It’s just a perfect mix of tastes. You should try it, guys—pasta, strawberries, and a little bit of yogurt,” she added.

The unusual combination did not convince everyone, especially not the 2026 French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli. “I wish her good luck when she comes back to Italy,” he added while speaking to Prakash Amritraj.

Now, as she prepares to defend her SW19 title on June 30, fans will once again be watching everything she does. Many will also be curious to see whether a few famous All-England Club towels find their way into her bag again.

And who knows, Iga Swiatek may even reveal another unexpected favorite dish this year. And if that happens, it could easily leave fans just as surprised once again.