ROLAND GARROS

October 4, 2020

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/S. Halep

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was different between this match and the match last year? How did you step up your level against Simona?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, as was said, after Wimbledon I won the match point. But basically everything was different. Like, I knew this is a great opportunity for me and I can play my best tennis on biggest stadium because I already played like four matches like that. And right now I'm more experienced, I can handle the pressure. So I feel like I grown up to play a match like that and to win it.

So everything went well. I did everything that my coach told me about tactics. So it was kind of like perfect match for me.

Q. My question is about Daria because I've been thinking a little bit about how players use their sports psychologists on their teams. It seems to me that you're one of the younger ones that has a person like that on her team. And I wonder, how did the relationship with Daria start originally, how did it evolve and how did it happen? And then how is she helping you in terms of your tennis and in terms of your life?

IGA SWIATEK: That's a great question. I think there aren't many people that are talking about like psychology in tennis so it's a new thing. Yeah, I mean, I have psychologist on my team for like two years right now probably, I don't know, I'm not sure. I don't remember.

I just believe that mental toughness is like probably most important thing in tennis right now because everybody can play on the highest level. But the ones that are tough and that can handle the pressure are the biggest ones.

So I always wanted to, like, develop in that way. I was working with some other psychologists, two probably when I was younger. But Daria was like the best I could get because she just understands me very well and she knows me very well and she can kind of read my mind, which is weird.

Yeah, she was also, she was a sailor so she has experience in sports and she was a coach so she has like full package. I just, I don't know, she just made me like smarter. I know more about sports and I know more about psychology and I can understand my own feelings and I can say them out loud.

So, yeah, she just makes me, makes my confidence level higher.

Q. You mentioned that Simona turned the result around against Anisimova from last year. Did that really sort of give you some confidence? Did you think, Oh, maybe I can do the same?

IGA SWIATEK: Maybe not confidence, but I just felt that it's possible and I can do that. So yeah, I was thinking about that.

We were like laughing after the match that it's really like really similar situation because we were both 2001. Yeah, I just think it's really nice that we have many young players that are coming up and that are not scared. I'm really happy that I'm one of them, and I hope I'm going to continue that way.

Q. Did you think about last year's match at the French Open against Simona? And also, are you still feeling stunned with this result just now?

IGA SWIATEK: I am, I think stunned. Well, I was thinking about it, because as I said, it gave me, it was like a huge lesson for me. I knew that I can, like, play differently and I can finally show my best tennis. So I was thinking about it, but more like in a positive way because I was thinking of a whole process that I've made and progress.

So, yeah, I mean it wasn't like I was scared because of that, because I lost in 45 minutes last year. It was kind of like motivating for me just to play better.

Q. You mentioned the word "progress" in your last answer. Can you talk about that a little bit because your progression on the pro level seems to have been quite incremental, like kind of small steps over the course of the last maybe year and a half as opposed to the other teenagers who have had big results probably maybe a little bit earlier. So can you talk about what you mean when you talk about your progress and your progression?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, as I said, I always like to make a progress one step after another because I feel like I can be more consistent in the future. The pressure is like a little bit lower because I've made it two times already to the fourth round. I feel like that was the perfect opportunity for me to be in a quarterfinal.

But I'm really glad that I wasn't in a final of French Open last year because I think the pressure would be too big. I like that I have, like, time to grow up. I think it's, like, perfect for me doing it one step after another.

Q. Like to ask you about music. You said the other day that you've been listening to Guns N' Roses, and I know that you talked as well in the past about listening to Pink Floyd, AC/DC, I mean that's music from my generation. How is it that you like this sort of music?

IGA SWIATEK: Actually it's weird because my parents aren't listening to music and my older sister, so I kind of learned it on my own. I remember that I was traveling with many coaches when I was younger from the Polish Tennis Association and they, each one of them gave me something new and that's why my taste is so like -- I like every genre, I started listening to jazz lately even, so that's something new for me. And, yeah, I mean, I don't know what to tell you, I just wanted to have like bigger knowledge about something that is not tennis.

Q. I would like to know what you know about Martina Trevisan who is going to be your next opponent. She's older than you but for four years she didn't play tennis, she had the anorexia, a lot of problems, so she has the same experience almost that you have on tennis court. Are you surprised how well she did and what do you expect from her, how do you know her?

IGA SWIATEK: Well actually I played against her on ATF like few years ago, it was my last match before surgery, so it was a long time ago.

But yeah, I lost, it was a match in Warsaw, so I was pretty stressed because it was in my hometown and I wanted to play well. But I don't think it's going to have, it's going to matter because it was like few years ago and right now we're in a totally different place.

It's really nice that she went to the quarters from qualies. I mean, it's amazing. Actually I haven't watch her matches because I'm trying just to focus on my tennis and rest when I can. So we're going to prepare like tomorrow probably and my coach is going to tell me all about tactic. Right now there isn't much I can tell you, actually.

Q. Just looking ahead obviously now you're going into uncharted territory before you were kind of reliving experiences, but so I guess, with the work that you've done with Daria and with your team, as you look ahead now how do you, what are the keys for you to manage your stress levels, I guess going into this part of the slam?

IGA SWIATEK: Just doing the same as I did before, like keeping my expectations low, even though I won against second player in the world, and just doing my job and not thinking about where I am and that I'm playing quarterfinals, because I know it's a great thing and but it also can make me like be anxious.

So right now I'm just going to focus on tennis and I don't care if it's first round or quarterfinal I'm just going to play my best and I'm going to think about the result after.