Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/K. Muchova

6-2, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Iga, that scoreline looked pretty clinical. Just describe your performance for us.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I think it was a great match. I felt really solid and like I could really, from the beginning till the end, play my kind of game and just play how I wanted to.

I think the beginning was kind of tight. We played, you know, kind of on the same level, but then I managed to, like, step up and break.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How's the ankle?

IGA SWIATEK: All good. I just hit myself with the racquet. Yeah.

Q. With the heat increasing over the next couple of days, will it change your strategy on court and preparing for the next few days in the heat, as well?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I haven't played here in 35 degrees, I mean Celsius, so for sure it's going to be a different experience, I think. But I'm not going to change much in terms of the game.

I'm only going to adjust the strings. So, yeah, I'll see tomorrow honestly because it's hard to judge from now.

Q. In terms of being able to today play the way you wanted to play, it seemed like you had a very clear idea of the game plan that you wanted to execute with her, but in terms of being able to control the middle of the court, use your forehand, it seemed as evident in this match that you were doing that maybe compared to previous matches. Can you talk about that? Was it just like for today or because that was the game plan, or is that something you're trying to reincorporate?

IGA SWIATEK: No, I always want to be proactive with my forehand, because this is what gives me points. I think I just, you know, chose the right balls to go forward or to stay back and grind a bit more and play with more shape.

I think just the decision-making was good today so I didn't rush, and I had, you know, just comfortable situations to do what I wanted to.

So I think it's a combination of that, but overall, you know, I always kind of want to do a lot with my forehand (smiling).

Q. In terms of how you have kind of felt with every day on the practice courts here and then also match days and everything like that, do you feel like anything has clicked in any way, shape, or form? Is it feeling really good in practice and you're just bringing that onto the court, or is it a kind of day-to-day process?

IGA SWIATEK: I wouldn't say it clicked, because there wasn't one exact moment, but I also played good in Warsaw before coming here. Obviously when you change conditions from, like, minus-something winter indoors to Indian Wells, your tennis is going to feel that.

So first days for sure weren't super smooth, but I think later on, I came back to being a solid me. And, yeah, honestly most of the practices were good, but also, I wasn't expecting, like, any fireworks, because honestly, it's just a practice, like you can't judge from the practice anyway.

If you're going to feel amazing on the practice and then suddenly something isn't going to go as you planned on the match, it feels even worse.

So I'd rather, like, really take it easy, not have any expectations after practices, and just work as hard as possible but then be ready for matches anyway.

Q. A quick question about hobbies. I was talking to a bunch of players who play video games. I know that that's not the way you choose to use your time, but are there things that you've tried maybe in the past to incorporate in your off days, like hobby-type stuff, time-passing stuff, that was a bad idea, where you did it and you're, like, I can't get into this as a profession the tennis player?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I wouldn't say as a professional tennis player, just as a person it wasn't my thing. I tried baking, because my sister bakes. She's pretty good at that, and basically all members of my family could cook, and I'm terrible. So I tried baking, and it was disaster. They just threw it out to the garbage without even doubting it, and I understand that. So I totally get it. It wasn't edible.

But besides that, I only maybe tried some stuff that I didn't have time to be consistent at, so obviously it kind of died out after some time, and that's it.

Q. Obviously you play either Svitolina or Siniakova. Can you just talk through what you might expect in your next match?

IGA SWIATEK: I think, you know, no matter who I'm gonna play, it's gonna be a tough match because these are players that are basing their game at being solid, like running to everything and getting every ball back. I think I'm gonna have to have a lot of discipline to just finish the point even couple of times sometimes, you know.

But, yeah, it's going to be tough anyway. It's the second week of a really great tournament, so only good players play. So, yeah, I'll watch probably a little bit, and then I'll be ready.