Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/K. Muchova

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Iga, great job today. Talk us through the match. Always a tough opponent. Talk us through how you played.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure, you know, from the beginning, I felt like, you know, I can lead and I didn't make many mistakes at the beginning, so then later on I just didn't want to let Karo, you know, be able to start playing her game. I'm happy I did that till the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. That's a top-15 player, a Grand Slam finalist, as you know. Does it feel as easy as it looks to us on the outside?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly, sometimes matches can be pretty weird. You know, it's enough for one player to not feel perfect and the other feel great. Then suddenly the difference is much bigger than it usually is.

We practiced last week, and we had a pretty similar level. You know, it's tennis. Things like that can happen. But for sure I used to my opportunities and I used to my chances, and I was pretty focused and composed today.

Well, it's not easy, but, well, I can imagine that it looks like it.

Q. On a day when the weather is like this and you have already had to wait, does that give you any more incentive to try and finish it quickly, or is it just your regular focus on winning a match?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, usually I would have my regular focus on, but today I felt like everything is going my way. On last two games, it was a bit slippery already, but I really wanted to finish. So I kind of played more risky, but the shots were still in.

So we both didn't run a lot, but it was about the first serve and the first shot, I guess. I'm happy that I close it, for sure, because I knew this big cloud is coming, and probably if I'm not going to finish, then I'm gonna wait a bit.

But it wasn't that bad. So even if it would be tight at the end, I think I would still have time to do it, like, in a normal pace.

Q. A serious question. We all know that you were really wonderful in terms of calling for peace in the situation back home. Now in the past day or so, the Polish government has announced that all men will be called up and be eligible for service. Our Secretary of State and Elon Musk have attacked your foreign minister. Are you aware of these developments? If so, can you offer some thoughts? And also, what are your thoughts about those who say that Russia is not the aggressor in that situation?

IGA SWIATEK: I didn't hear the last part, but I know what happened on Twitter with our minister.

But honestly, like, I don't feel I'm in the right spot to comment on politics. It's a pretty complicated world that we live in right now, and the tensions for sure are high.

I have been vocal about, you know, Ukraine and everybody knows my views. I have been playing with the ribbon for a long time at the beginning of the war.

Yeah, well, honestly I don't feel like I'm in a place to comment also because I'm not an expert and, you know, I follow, but I don't, like, really dig deep into these news. I'm not in a place -- for sure I know that many people are watching my press conferences and reading what I'm saying. So I'm not going to speak out, because I don't know enough details to do that, honestly.

But I'm kind of aware of what's going on.

Q. A little bit on Ukraine still. For your next match you will play either Marta Kostyuk or Qinwen Zheng. Can you say a few words about those matchups?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure against Qinwen -- I mean, against both of these players is going to be tough. Anybody who is in the quarters of this tournament deserves to be there.

I guess Qinwen I need to learn from our last match and see also how she plays right now because it's been a while since we played.

Against Marta, we played a couple of matches last season. We also practiced together. So I know her game, as well.

I guess it's a pretty similar situation. I just need to prepare tactically, yeah, because I played only last season against both of these players, and that's it.

Q. You're obviously returning exceptionally well. I think you have only lost, like, three return games. Was that something you have been focusing on in the last few months and in the off-season? Is there anything about this court? You mentioned the ball bounces up to you. Is that even happening on the serve where it's giving you an advantage, do you think?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I wouldn't say we focused much on the return, because it's been pretty good and I have been focusing more on the serve when I was practicing for last months.

But, yeah, I feel for sure like I'm returning well and I'm trying to put pressure on my opponents. But I wouldn't say I change anything or something. So I'm kind of going the same kind of process I always had, you know.

For sure the court is bouncy. Maybe today a little bit less because it's colder and more humid, you know. But yeah, I mean, I think it's an advantage for anybody who spins the ball.

Q. We're entering that period of the season where you have often been almost unbeatable, success at Indian Wells and then followed by more success on the clay. Do you feel it's all coming together for you and you're in the sort of form that you would like to be and need to be?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure I feel good. Yeah, I feel pretty confident. It doesn't say that I know what's going to happen in the future.

So although these tournaments are tough and they are, I would say, even tougher than two or three years ago, you can play great players, you know, first rounds. Also a player who is even outside of top 20 can still win these tournaments. You always have to be on your toes and be ready for what's coming.

Yeah, for sure the last seasons I have been consistent during this part of the year, but every year is different. I'm not assuming and I'm not taking it for granted. I'm just going to do my job and let's see how it goes.

Q. Mentioning the serve, do you feel like it's where you want it to be now or still very much a work in progress? What's your take on that?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I mean, it's always work in progress (smiling). But, yeah, I feel great with it. I like it. Yeah, I have been playing pretty confident. It's good.

Q. I think it was the last tournament where you lost and you were noticeably very annoyed when you were coming off the court. How long did that take to sort of, like, refocus, get back together with the team and sort of get back in a mindset where you did feel confident about your game?

IGA SWIATEK: You mean that I was angry that I lost in Dubai?

Q. I think it was -- yes, I think it was Dubai.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, everybody is annoyed and angry when they lose. I was expecting a bit better results in terms of just which round I lost, you know, in Doha and Dubai.

But honestly, these tournaments have been tougher than for past years. You can even see going on my Wikipedia how did the matches look like past years and this year, for example. So for sure it was a different story.

I was annoyed, but who isn't, you know? I think in tennis it's important to just let it go and focus on the future, and I have been doing it pretty well, you know. I'm not expecting to win every tournament.

So after Dubai, yeah, we had also a bit more time to practice, and I also accepted that sometimes with different circumstances it might be, you know, tougher for my game to be at the best, you know. The balls were pretty terrible in Doha, Dubai. They felt like potatoes, so I guess I just kind of refocused and practiced here so I can feel a bit better.