US OPEN

September 5, 2022

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/J. Niemeier

2-6, 6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Assess your performance today.

IGA SWIATEK: For sure I'm pretty happy that I didn't give up, just tried to find some solutions in second and third set.

I think the match was pretty physical. At the end I felt like I have more power. I'm pretty happy that I was solid in those important moments.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just talking about the adjustments after that first set into the second and third, what do you think were the keys there?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly at the beginning I felt like I'm just making a little bit less mistakes, but she also started playing less aggressively, I think. It was easier for me to just play the ball in.

Yeah, I think I started being more solid and I used a little bit more of the chances that I had. In first set, yeah, I didn't use couple of them to break her back. That was the key basically in second and third.

Q. Next you face Jess. You've played her before, including a couple times this year. What are your thoughts on her game and the challenge for you against her?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, she's really consistent. She's a great player. I know it's going to be tough. We're going to analyze for sure the previous matches.

Yeah, I think she has a game style that suits these courts. So, yeah, I have to be ready. I mean, I don't know if you want to really get into the technique or something.

Q. I'd be happy to hear what your thoughts are and what made her successful when she was successful against you.

IGA SWIATEK: You mean 2019?

Q. In 2019?

IGA SWIATEK: I won against Jessie in Miami and somewhere else, I think.

Q. French Open.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah. So what do you mean 'successful'?

Q. When she was doing well in those matches, you said they were tough matches, what was the key for her against you?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't know specifically if she played differently against me than against other players. She's just a good player and she's really solid. She's pretty confident at any stage she's playing at.

It's hard to, like, say what was the exact key. But she's a good player.

Q. You were very open about how you felt about conditions here, ball and things like that. You're into the quarterfinals. Where is your confidence level at? What is your mindset like at the moment?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure this match gave me a lot because it's always nice to come back and kind of lean on that, that you can change something and play better, also make some adjustment during the game.

Yeah, I feel more confident every match, but still I'm trying not to get my expectations too high because I know anything can happen.

I don't want to overthink, you know? So I'm just focused on the next match. But during the match I'm just focused on the next point.

Yeah, but I feel like it's getting higher, but still it's not like it's the base of my tennis right now. I'm more focused on the technical stuff.

Q. I know you're into math. Are you aware of the stats about the number of bagel sets you've hit this year?

IGA SWIATEK: I am aware (smiling). I saw on Twitter some count that is called like Iga Swiatek Bakery. That's pretty funny.

I'm not thinking about that during the match. Yeah, at the end we can laugh about it. During the match, it's just another game for me.

Q. Do you remember in the French you said it was cool that you managed to get a mark that Serena didn't have when you had a longer streak? You're a few bagels away from Serena's record in the 2000s. Would that be a cool one to have?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm just going to try to focus on the right things and not really think about that 'cause that was basically the key during that streak that I had.

This time I'm going to, yeah, do the same and just focus on the small stuff that is going to give me break points and then breaks.

Q. Aga used to say when she first started on the tour, she was super comfortable on clay. At some point she thought about it and realized most of the tour is on hard court, and her game shifted to be successful on a hard court.

IGA SWIATEK: Agnieszka Radwanska?

Q. Yes. I'm curious for you, with this season, the progress you've made on the hard courts as well, if that was ever part of the logic, just that there were so many tournaments on the hard courts? Was it just, I just want to get better on this stuff?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure last season I was pretty frustrated that I only played like three tournaments on clay. I realized that it's not a good way to approach the whole season.

So for sure, yeah, my goal was to play better on hard court more consistently. I'm pretty happy that I did that. I knew about Aga honestly, because every time we talk, I'm pretty mad about grass and she's pretty mad about clay.

I think her love for clay really ended pretty early (smiling). Yeah, but for sure, you know, hard court is our goal at the beginning of the season, not the end of the season. Also we're mainly practicing on hard court pre-season. These are the courts that basically are going to show me where my level of tennis is.

Q. How would you describe your level of excitement here as you are advancing?

IGA SWIATEK: Hmm. Well, I played too many matches this year to get, like, huge excitement honestly. But for sure today I'm the most excited because quarterfinal is my best result right now. I'm just happy that I did a better job than last year and I'm going to push forward.

Q. You mentioned this is your first quarterfinal here. The other half of the draw, all four of them, it's the first time they're in the quarterfinals here as well. What do you make of the fact that several players are having a breakthrough? Did anyone catch your eye from the other side of the draw?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm not honestly watching a lot of matches. I'm not kind of following, especially the other half. So I don't know.

I guess it's going to show who's going to cope with like being in a new situation better. But I think it's just exciting for all of us. It also shows that anything can happen and anybody can win this tournament.

I'm just going to focus on another match and I don't really know how other players are feeling, so...