ROLAND GARROS

June 5, 2021

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/A. Kontaveit

7-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had trouble with the form, in that first set was pretty tight, but what made the difference in the second set that you were able to race through so comfortably with that score line? What does that also do for your confidence?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, so first of all, I think I had a late start because not looking at the first games but overall at first set, it was game by game. So if I wouldn't have got broken in the first game, I think it would just look differently, the score. But I'm really happy that I was consistent, and in tiebreak I could lead pretty easily.

But in the second set, Anett made more mistakes because I guess that she was staying pretty risky, and in the second set her shots weren't as -- sometimes she just made a lot more mistakes. I think that was a good choice for me to do, just step back a little bit and react quicker because she was playing pretty fast from the beginning. Sometimes I had problems with seeing where she's going to play, but it wasn't as hard later.

Q. You've told us that when you met Rafa a few days ago you wrote down a few notes to keep the conversation flowing. Do you also make notes during a tournament about tennis, and if so, how do you think that helps your thought process?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I did that for a few times. Sometimes I feel like I'm not as sure and as confident when I'm playing in a tournament, and I needed to do that sometimes, but not often actually. We have some key words that we are using and that are easy to remember. So I have a checklist of the things that I need to do on court in my mind, and they're easy to remember.

Q. You mentioned that Daria is going to be able to come in the second week. How will your routine change before the match when she's on-site versus -- you mentioned the other day you've been doing some things with the boys. What will be different next week versus the last few days?

IGA SWIATEK: You know, I'm trying to keep the routines the same way because that's why they're routines basically. But Daria, she's been with me on many tournaments, most of them actually, so it's just easier to keep them because she's just hoping to remain some stuff sometimes and you don't have to worry about many things because she's the brain in our team.

But yeah, I guess it changes the chemistry in the team sometimes because we have two boys and two girls, but I like it both ways, so it doesn't really matter.

Q. You've been winning your matches so easily last year and this year at Roland Garros until today with the first set being more difficult. Is it important to you to prove to yourself that you can fight in difficult situations? I know you can, but to come through matches like that.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure when you're winning too easily sometimes you have thoughts that, hey, if I'm leading 3-0 I'm going to win this set easily, and you kind of take everything for granted. It's like natural.

But I'm trying not to do that when I'm leading. And also, yeah, it's good to have matches like that because it keeps you, like, down to earth and you have to just be careful on every point and on every game.

Yeah, I'm just happy that I'm able to play really solid deciding balls and really solid in really important moments. That's the most important thing for me.

Q. Going off of the question about the first set today, one could think that it was an easy moment to kind of panic a little bit. You hadn't beaten her, she's played you incredibly tough, third round. You've never lost in the first week, all these sorts of things that can easily occupy one's head. How do you feel like you were able to kind of stay focused on the match and how do you think you were able to turn that first set around?

IGA SWIATEK: You know, I was just focused on breaking her basically, breaking her serve, and I knew that I have weapons to do that.

She had actually one game when she played three aces. For sure it's impossible to break her in that kind of game. But I knew if I'm going to place my return like really good and let her move from the beginning of the rally, then it's going to be good. And actually I broke her, so it was kind of true.

Yeah, I just focused on that, and I wasn't really thinking if it's going to be possible or not. I was more thinking what should I do to do that.

Q. You were talking about routines during all this week. I would like to know what is on your playlist. You're a very musical player. Are you still listening to the same songs from last year, the same "Welcome to the Jungle" before the matches or listening to something new, and any recommendation for us?

IGA SWIATEK: So I have the same playlist as in Rome, so it's Led Zeppelin right now. Last year it was Guns N' Roses, right now it's Led Zeppelin; so similar kind of music but different band.

Off court I started to listen to some Polish music, and that's new for me because actually I haven't listened to Polish music ever. It's really cool. I would recommend it.

Probably from this group only two people would understand it, so yeah.

Q. Looking ahead, you play Kostyuk next and she could very clearly recall playing you in ITFs or grade As or something like that. I'm wondering if you have any recollection of playing her before and what those memories are.

IGA SWIATEK: I think we played once in juniors, but I'm not sure actually. Probably it was like at the beginning of my junior career. But really I'm not sure.

Actually I just got to know that I'm playing against her because I didn't know about that. I was not really prepared for that question.

As usual, I haven't seen her play. I wasn't like watching her matches. I was just focused on my match against Anett. But obviously my coach is going to do a great job. He's really good at tactics, so I'm feeling safe.

Q. Who turned you on to Led Zeppelin?

IGA SWIATEK: Myself. Yeah, I don't -- I just started listening to rock, and I was like browsing, and I liked them.

I think I started listening to them more when I watched "Thor." Yeah, I listened to them even a few years ago, and I watched "Thor" in Australia, so yeah.