AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2022

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

D. COLLINS/I. Swiatek

6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Not the result you would have wanted tonight, but how do you reflect on the tournament and the month overall in Australia?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure I'm proud of myself, because my match against Sorana and Kaia, I mean, they were really intense, and I think I won it with my heart, so I gave a lot.

Well, today's result, you know, for sure I'm not happy with it, but I know that Danielle played amazing tennis, and if I would have more chances to just play a rally with her, it would be much easier. But for sure she was winning in serves and on returns.

I mean, yeah, like I tried to find solutions, but I can assume what feelings she had today on court, because I do have that feeling sometimes. It's kind of hard to stop an opponent when they are playing like that.

I mean, I wasn't thinking like that on the court, but after, I mean, I'm not even feeling any regrets because I did like the best I could today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Everyone knows how aggressive she is and she tries to take charge. Early in the match on the TV they showed a graphic that showed her average backhand speed for the tournament and then against you, and she was hitting her backhand considerably bigger against you. I just wondered if you were prepared for how aggressive she would be against you? Because, yeah, she was really going for it.

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, I was prepared for her playing aggressive game, but I think that was the fastest ball I have ever played against on a match. For sure in practices I have hit, I mean, maybe the same speed, but on matches it's different because players, they don't want to, you know, take that much risk. But it seemed for her that it wasn't even risky because she was playing it with control.

So I am impressed and huge respect to her because she's playing a great game. I'm just curious how it's gonna look like on the final, and I'm gonna for sure be watching and, you know, learning (smiling).

Q. You played a very grueling match yesterday and obviously not that much turnaround time for the semifinal today. Energy-wise, how did you feel going into today's match?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure my body was sore, but it's not a negative thing, because actually I'm pretty used to that, because during preseason I'm always playing practices and my body is sore. Sometimes I feel even better physically when my body is like not, you know, perfect.

Well, maybe my reaction was a little bit slower today, but, you know, also she was playing really fast, so, I mean, I'm not gonna say "ifs," use more "ifs," because I don't know how it would be in other conditions, but mentally I think that was my best day.

So I just wish I would have some more opportunities to make a rally and, I don't know, tactically have more influence on the points, not only play, you know, faster than her to win a point, you know.

Q. The second set especially she hit 13 winners and only two unforced errors, so she was just having an amazing day. How quickly after the match can you kind of step back and accept that, which sounds like you're kind of able to do already.

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, I kind of accepted that during the match already, because -- I mean, I didn't accept losing, because that was hard, but I accepted that she can play a great match, because, I mean, I felt her balls on the racquet and they were really hard.

So, I mean, I didn't want to be angry about that or be focused on that, because that's not a good way to approach, I don't know, your opponent's game.

So I don't know. I just feel respect for her game today, and I know that she had -- she played a perfect match and it happens. You know, I also can play a perfect match. It wasn't for sure today (smiling). It happened in past, and I hope it's gonna happen in future. But, you know, it's tennis so I'm gonna have more chances.

Q. You said you were looking forward to watching the final. What do you expect? You've played Barty before obviously and see how well she's playing here, and you've played Collins and see how well she's playing here. How do you analyze that final if you can put on your analyst's hat for a second?

IGA SWIATEK: So it's hard to predict anything, because on one hand, Ash is playing differently. She's playing different than any other girl, and she can really reset the rally even when someone is really playing fast.

So I'm just curious, you know. Because, yeah, I'm just curious. I don't know, you know. She's No. 1, so I think it's bigger possibility that she's gonna find a solution for Danielle's game than me.

I mean, for sure I hope I'm going to do that, but still, she has much more experience. I want to, if she's gonna do that, I want to learn from that and see what she has done.

Q. Just in terms of Danielle, the one thing everybody always talks about with her is her intensity on the court. She's more intense maybe than any other player. She's got the whole not sitting down at the change of ends thing going on. What's that like to have that level of intensity across the net from you?

IGA SWIATEK: It doesn't really matter -- for me, obviously. I don't know how other players see that. But, I mean, for me I just focused on game, you know, so I didn't even notice that she's not sitting. I mean, I notice, but, I mean, it doesn't really matter for me.

For sure the energy on the court, it may influence the game, but it wasn't like that today. So I just, you know, I was focused on the tennis and I tried to find solutions, so I didn't really have time to think about the other stuff.

Q. Tough one today, but a great tournament. I'm curious, you start the season and your two losses are to the two players that are going to be playing Saturday's final. What is your biggest takeaway? What are the learnings that you take out of the start of the year that you take into February?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure that I don't have to play perfect tennis to win matches, even on hard court. That's my best result on hard court besides winning Adelaide. I mean, I don't know if winning Adelaide is better than semifinal of a Australian Open, okay, whatever.

So that's positive, because I always wanted to improve on hard court. I like the fact that I won against Sorana and Kaia like mentally and physically, and I gave my heart on court, so that's great.

I'm pretty happy that I'm able to also play aggressive and be ready on fast surfaces. Maybe I wasn't today, but usually.

Q. On the evolution and improvement of your game on hard court and your increased comfort on it, where do you think is the next -- when you play somebody like Danielle or like Ash, where do you see that the thing in your game on hard courts that you want to improve the most or neutralize the most?

IGA SWIATEK: I always want to improve my serve. Maybe going at the net. Yeah, I mean, there are a lot of stuff, but I don't want to tell you all of it (smiling).

Yeah, I mean, I feel like I can improve a lot, and that's a positive thing, because, you know, if that would be the maximum of my game, I would have no hopes (smiling).

Q. Unlucky today. You just touched a bit upon kind of your mentality in kind of this beginning of the year. You spoke a little bit before the tournament about how kind of you wanted to get that enjoyment out of playing and keep that enjoyment. Do you feel like you've got that this past fortnight? Do you feel the problem-solving you were doing and all the kind of efforts you're making on the court, did you still have that enjoyment throughout? Can you reflect on that?

IGA SWIATEK: Yes, for sure, last two tournaments were much more enjoyable than last months of my previous season. That's a positive thing. For sure my attitude towards being on tour has also changed, but we're gonna see if I'm gonna keep that, because right now I'm pretty fresh, you know. I had some break from playing tournaments.

We'll see how I'm gonna manage that stuff and if I'm gonna keep that attitude, and I think I'm going to be more efficient, and I'm gonna have more energy at the end of the season because of that. So, yeah, it is much more enjoyable, yeah.