BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 16, 2022

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/M. Keys

6-1, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Can you talk about your match tonight.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I think it was a great performance from me. I think it was my best match here. For sure it was a little bit easier to find my rhythm when it was a little bit colder.

That was on my advantage. I think I just was really focused and consistent.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Looking back on that match in Doha against Sabalenka, your ability to figure out pace and power, did you think at all about that as you prepared to face Madison?

IGA SWIATEK: Not really. Not really because I didn't feel like they're playing the same tennis. For sure it's similar and they can hit really hard. I didn't really want to come back to Doha in my head because I was hitting perfectly there.

I know that these weeks, they don't happen really often in tennis. Basically I just want to be focused on today's match. For sure I took some lessons from our match in Rome against Madison. In Doha we also had different conditions. It didn't really make sense for me to come back to that.

Q. I imagine it's really fun to play that well, to win like that. Is that fun for you?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, it's for sure more fun than when I'm losing (smiling). I felt really comfortable. I'm also trying to get some fun as well from matches which are tight. Before where I felt stressed, I couldn't really make that fun. But right now I'm more focused on finding solutions and I want every match to be a lesson for me.

I think Ash Barty has this kind of mindset. When she feels like the match is really tight, she treats it like a great experience because she can find solutions, actually be focused on that. It's a great challenge for her.

I'm also trying to find fun when I'm playing, when the score is pretty tight.

Q. How did you learn that about Ash?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm not sure actually. I don't know to be honest. I feel like -- that's a good question. But I feel like she treats it that way. That's why she's the best. Yeah, it's pretty healthy mindset. I don't know.

Q. Do you believe in the zone? Do you feel you've been there and might be there again soon?

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, yeah, I can feel it for sure. I don't want to have it because if it would be my goal, I would be pretty disappointed most of the times because you're not going to get that flow kind of mindset every time.

For sure I had some moments in my life when I felt it. It's easier to focus. It's easier to have precision. I like it, but I don't really know how to cause it because I don't know if it's something you can actually, like, control 100%.

My goal is to be focused and to, like, come with every match with an aggressive mindset. I never know if I'm going to be in the zone or not.

Q. You spoke last year of closing your eyes, seeing tennis balls. Do you still experience that or have you figured out ways to get the tennis balls out of your head?

IGA SWIATEK: I feel more like I have (indiscernible) to be sure. I try to enjoy the places I'm traveling to. For sure I felt like that maybe because of the bubbles, we had to stay in hotels most of the times.

Yeah, I mean, it's a little bit easier, yeah.

Q. What are some of the things? What do you do to get your head out of it?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, it's not that easy. I always feel like if I'm going to do too much, I'm not going to be 100% focused during the tournament or something. Yeah, I try to really -- I really enjoy being around nature, so I try to do that. In Australia basically I've seen a lot in Melbourne. We went to see Twelve Apostles. Before we didn't have time for that.

I'm pretty glad that also my coach understands that I need time for that. He really sometimes get me time. There are coaches who are not going to find time in the schedule for that. Obviously practice is always the priority, but he knows I need that balance. That's great.

Daria, I mean, it's usually her initiative for me to kind of not think about tennis for some time. Yeah, I feel like they understand that, so that's great. I want to add something but I forgot, so I'm going to finish.

Q. Have you been to Joshua Tree?

IGA SWIATEK: Here I didn't see anything ever. I mean, I've seen L.A. a little bit. I was there for one evening, I would say. I don't know, I went to find (indiscernible) but it wasn't possible for that short amount of time. I would love to go to Disneyland.

I would go there probably if I would lose earlier. It's better to play tennis longer. Actually, for example, in Doha I wanted -- I want to have shorter answers, sorry (laughter).

For example in Doha, I mean, I knew I'm having a great tournament, but every day was just sleeping, eating, practicing, playing tennis, then sleeping again. I got pretty tired of it, even though I felt really satisfied. I felt like I'm pretty glad this is the final, the last match, because I want to do something else. For a week I've been having the same day basically, the same schedule of the day. I like the routines, but sometimes it's too much.

Q. In terms of finding fun, problem solving, do you play board games or video games?

IGA SWIATEK: Not really. I love board games, but it's not often when I get a chance to play because usually I watch TV shows or read a book. That's how I spend my time. When I'm back home, meeting my friends, we sometimes play board games. It's great.

Q. Do you have any favorite strategy games?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm really not playing that much to have favorites. Usually people are explaining to me the rules. That's how it works.

Video games I play a little bit like virtual tennis when I was younger. You can see I don't have, like, broader horizons in that matter, yeah.

Q. Every time you played Simona it's been a pretty significant match. What do you make of the rivalry you have built? What do you expect?

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, for sure I know she's a fighter, so usually that's the reason -- and I'm a fighter, so that's usually the reason these matches are so tight. On the other hand we also played some matches where we were both in a great shape, and it was pretty short.

Honestly, I mean, I don't know what to expect. I'm not expecting anything. I just want me to be focused on myself and my game and I want to continue what I've done throughout the whole tournament.

Yeah, I believe it's going to be great. But you never know what to expect in tennis, so...

Q. When you look back to the first match you played at Roland Garros, you think about the Iga that took the court that day versus the one today, how different?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God.

Q. What's the biggest difference?

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, I develop every aspect of my tennis and my mind as well. I feel like I'm a grown up right now. Back then I was so stressed that I'm playing on a stadium like Philippe Chatrier I didn't really feel my body appropriately.

Everything changed honestly. I think that was one of the matches that gave me a lot of that experience. It was a great tournament for me. I made it to the fourth round. I think I was, like, 18 or something. Yeah, I mean, that was the first match basically when I played against such a player as Simona. Since then a lot has changed. Right now I'm glad I'm on that level that I can really play good tennis against players like that.

Q. You mentioned reading books or movies. Anything you've enjoyed lately?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm reading The Great Gatsby, but it's pretty short. I'm surprised. I thought it was longer. Yeah, I started it yesterday and I'm going to be done today. It's not that fun because I'm used to really heavy books.

I don't know actually what to read, so... I got to read the book you gave me.

Q. Read it in Charleston.

IGA SWIATEK: It's a classic. It's on my list, yeah. I'm going to read it.