INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 15, 2021

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/C. Gauff

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about the challenges of today, having to play two very big matches in one day.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I knew it's going to be tough. Before my match with Elina, I wasn't really thinking about what's going to happen after. I was kind of searching for my game still, even though it was a quarterfinal. I just played with no expectations. She's one of the best players in the world right now. I mean, I was just taking it step by step.

I started worrying about semifinal right after I finished basically. Kind of mad that I couldn't even celebrate one evening that I won. I told myself there's nothing I can do about it, I have no influence.

Yeah, I was pretty surprised that we're going to be scheduled at 4 because men's semifinal was at 6. It's a new experience for me. It's that kind of thing that you just have to deal with.

I tried to approach this in a positive way because I knew that I'm in a good rhythm and I'm playing really good tennis. I'm ready.

Q. Against Svitolina, a year ago you practiced with her for the first time, thought your level was... Here you are a year later beating her in straight sets. Talk about what that victory meant to you.

IGA SWIATEK: I was pretty proud of myself that tactically I did everything great. I used every information that my coach gave me before the match. I wasn't really pumped after the match because you always have in the back of your mind you just won against the nicest girl on tour. I'm rooting for Elina on every tournament, so...

I wasn't really celebrating hard. I was more pumped that my game was back and I felt comfortable on court.

Q. Your level of comfort with your game, do you feel it's really pulled together now?

IGA SWIATEK: Yes, I mean, I felt really good today. It's a big difference between my previous matches than today. Yeah, I was able to beat Elina, so that shows that my game is here, I'm ready for anyone.

It gave me, like, really confidence boost.

Q. How do you feel after playing four sets? Do you feel pretty good for tomorrow?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm still kind of pumped up so it's hard to say because adrenaline is still here. I'm still pretty young so hopefully I'm going to be ready for tomorrow. I think so. I know it's going to be a final, but I had a pretty fast first round. I feel like I'm okay with that. I was actually two weeks ago or three weeks ago before Madrid, I was practicing really hard. I had more -- sorry.

My practices had more intensity than these two matches. I know that my body is ready. If I'm going to take it well mentally, it's going to be okay.

Q. Can you talk about the experience of facing Coco.

IGA SWIATEK: It's always hard to play against the young superstar, especially when I'm not used to that because I was always the youngest one. I just tried to have a high level of energy, even though it was my second match. I was feeling really good on the receive. I know her biggest weapon is serve, so I tried to use that. Also tactically I did everything really well.

I felt like I'm in control. Even though it was tiebreak in the first set, I felt like I was always the first one to break her. I was kind of mentally leading that match. Yeah, it was fine.

Yeah, I mean, I tried to play smart. I did that pretty well today so I'm happy about that.

Q. A year ago when you won Roland Garros, going into that nobody was talking about you. Sometimes a player will drop down after they've had tremendous success. Here you are seven months later at the Roland Garros warmup, into the final beating high-quality players. Are you surprising yourself at all?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm, like, surprising myself actually when I'm not doing well because I'm pretty ambitious. I'm a perfectionist, which I'm fighting with actually sometimes.

I always try to learn from what other girls experienced. There are many players that had some kind of regress, can you say that in English, after winning their first Grand Slam. I always thought try to be different, just work, just focus on not doing the same mistakes. It works pretty well.

Q. Does mean anything less than a win at Roland Garros will be a disappointment for you?

IGA SWIATEK: No. Unfortunately not. I mean, look at my results on Grand Slams. Mostly I'm doing fourth rounds. This is also a good result. Top 16. I don't have expectations like that.

It's not easy to be a defending champion. I'm just happy that I'm in a situation like that. I can enjoy being there, just being in Paris because I love playing there. I'm not worrying about that.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow, playing Karolina, what do you make of that matchup?

IGA SWIATEK: We played each other on exhibition right at the beginning of COVID. It's hard to say actually because always exhibition is different than the real match. My coach is going to do a great job. As usual, I don't have a lot to say because I'm not thinking about it right now. I'm after two matches, so I kind of have to rest from tennis for few years.

I'm feeling pretty confident on court. If my game is going to be there tomorrow, I can do anything.

Q. Can you talk about the tweener that you hit in the second set. Surprised people.

IGA SWIATEK: It's not the first time. If they're surprised, they weren't following me earlier. I don't like to use that often because sometimes the opponent may take it as disrespectful thing. But I like to do that. I'm doing that on practice, as well. I like to do trick shots, so...

It's just fun. I think I surprised Coco with that one. Even though it wasn't a good shot, it was short. I felt like she kind of don't know what to do with that, she doesn't know what to do with that, so it worked.

I don't want anybody to think this is like disrespectful because it's just me. I'm not doing that often. I want it to be fun.

Q. What would it mean for you to be able to capture the title in Rome?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm not thinking about it really. I want to take it step by step, as on every tournament that I was playing well. I don't want to talk about it. Maybe after tomorrow we can reflect on that.

Q. The WTA tweeted you could reach the top 10 with a win tomorrow. How do you feel about reaching the top 10? How do you feel about achieving your stated goal of being a consistently solid player?

IGA SWIATEK: I think it's going pretty well. Actually I didn't know that it's going to happen so often. Still I want to keep going. I don't think, like, I'm fully consistent, but I can be actually if I'm going to proceed that way for a longer time.

I'm not really looking on rankings because it was pretty annoying for me after French Open that I couldn't get better ranking. I stopped thinking about it. I'm just playing because the ranking is going to be the effect of my work. I'm just focusing on work.

Yeah, hopefully after some of the tournaments, after we're -- sorry. I'm too tired to construct sentences (smiling).

Q. You've said enough. We've kept you busy.

IGA SWIATEK: Thanks.