MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 25, 2021

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/B. Krejcikova

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I actually just have one question. I'm wondering, did you have an idol when you were just starting to play tennis? Did you have posters in your room of players? Is there anyone you have looked to on the tour who has served as something of a mentor for you, another player?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, at the beginning I didn't really have idol because I wasn't actually watching tennis when I was younger. When I realize that it's gonna be my future and I'm doing great, and when I went for my first junior Grand Slam, I started watching more.

Then I really liked Rafa, so I have actually his T-shirt with his signature on my wall. Yeah, I think the calendar with Rafa. Well, you can consider Rafa my idol. But when I was younger, I didn't really, you know, follow sports (smiling).

Q. Is there anybody on the WTA Tour who has sort of taken you under their wing? I know about Rafa and the video and everything, but are there any other players on the WTA Tour who have sort of advised you as you have started out?

IGA SWIATEK: That's actually weird, but I didn't have any person like that. Yeah. Sorry.

Q. I'm asking about your forehand. Obviously it's become one of the bigger weapons on the tour in terms of the topspin and the weight. I was wondering when you were younger, was there ever a point when it wasn't hard, like when you didn't have the physical strength for it to be so strong?

IGA SWIATEK: Actually, I grew up pretty fast, like, physically. So when I was playing under 12 and 14, I was always kind of stronger than my opponents. Yeah, I was pretty like dominating in Poland the tournaments.

But I was actually thinking what's gonna happen next when I'm gonna stop growing and when my body is gonna just -- obviously it's gonna get stronger but I'm not going to be growing up anymore.

Yeah, I feel like it's not about strength or anything. I think it's more about touch and that I can really loosen up my arm. Then the ball is really like deep and heavy.

So, yeah. I remember that I had sometime when I was younger when I had much better backhand than forehand, and sometimes still I feel more comfortable on backhand. So it depends really on the tournament and balls and conditions.