US OPEN

August 30, 2022

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/J. Paolini

6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Could you please take us through the match from a tennis standpoint how you thought you played.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure I'm pretty happy with the performance, and I feel like I have better rhythm than in Toronto and Cincinnati so that's great. I'm trying to enjoy that. For sure in first set at the beginning, you know, I played pretty solid game, but I needed to take it up to another level. I did that at the end and in second set, so I'm pretty proud of that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You talked about feeling that you had better rhythm today. Can you talk about what the keys have been for you in terms of being able to find that and get more comfortable with the quick conditions out here.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure, just the week before, which was in Cincinnati, which was pretty tough, here was much, much better, and I got a lot of confidence just from, you know, practicing and hitting the balls in, actually playing better and better every day.

So I know on matches, being a little bit stressed and tight, it can get a little bit worse, but still, I feel like my level is just better. We'll see if I'm going to hold on to that (smiling).

Yeah, and I think just we did a huge work before the tournament to, like, work properly but on the other hand also chill out and find a proper balance. So that's the key basically, because, you know, tennis-wise for sure, week by week, it's easier to get used to these balls.

Yeah, so just, you know, playing this swing I think is pretty important to play the tournaments before to be ready actually for this one.

Q. What thoughts do you have on what happened here last night with Serena? Where were you watching? What was the situation around you as you saw it?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I just watched the first few games, because I knew I have an early start today. Yeah, when I watched it actually, you know, the first games were pretty tight, you know, so I got tight, as well, just by watching. So I realized that I need to stop (smiling).

I can't imagine what she must feel, you know, having this kind of atmosphere around her and just, you know, finishing -- I know she's doing a tournament, but I feel like yesterday it was, like people did so much work to like show appreciation to what she's done. It's pretty amazing. I have never seen something like it.

For sure it was like the most popular first round of a slam ever. Yeah, it's just amazing. It shows how much she has changed our sport and how much she has done. I'm pretty happy that she can experience something like that. I also feel that not every player would handle that kind of fuss around your first match of the tournament. She's handling it pretty well, as usual. So that's just confirmation of how great she is.

And the outfit also, pretty cool (smiling).

Q. I wanted to ask you about playing, speaking of Serena, she has Anett next. You have had good success against her recently. What's the biggest challenge in going up against her?

IGA SWIATEK: Against Sloane or...

Q. Against Kontaveit.

IGA SWIATEK: Kontaveit? Well, we are like -- she's at the bottom of the draw and I'm at the top.

Q. She plays Serena. That's what I was saying.

IGA SWIATEK: Sorry. Yeah, I wasn't thinking about even playing against Anett, because it means I would have to get to the final, so it's still a long way.

Hmm. I feel like against Serena, when you play -- I have never experienced that, so I just assume, it's all about your mindset and kind of mentality. I know Anett can play great tennis. Last season she has shown that also kind of sky's the limit. She works so hard to get where she is. I feel like, yeah, because of her season last year, she really deserves, you know, that second ranking.

She's a great person off the court. But do you want to ask me like what my predictions are?

Q. No, no, just she does so many things well on court. Do you feel there is one thing that she does best or one thing that's hardest for you when you're up against her?

IGA SWIATEK: I would say Anett is pretty solid player just overall. Yeah, like mostly you can't see like any -- how to say it? -- like obviously bad places in her tennis, spots in her tennis.

So I think she's a pretty solid player. You know, adding more like aggressive game and with her defense and how she can really run out the point. Yeah, I always had pretty tough matches against her, especially here last year and Australian Open few years ago.

Yeah, she was this kind of player that I always knew it was going to be a nice match because she plays really solid game and you can find your rhythm. But on the other hand she's just, yeah, she's just good, so she's going to use any mistake you're going to make.

Q. Just in terms of talking about conditions generally, obviously different sets of conditions, combination of everything, like some players like one set more than another set and it's a matter of just making adjustments through different swings and stuff like that. For you, with respect to this U.S. summer series, like, have you come to just accept that the conditions are kind of what they are? Is it still a thing that can frustrate you? Kind of where are you on that spectrum, if that makes sense?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure I'm closer to accepting than on two previous tournaments, so that's pretty nice.

I know the conditions are tough, but also just, you know, US Open being like fourth Grand Slam of the season, you can see that this season is kind of, yeah, we already played for like eight months. So I think that you can feel like more frustration. But honestly, it's much, much better for me, because I did like hard work to really chill out.

Right now it's much better, yeah. But I'm also trying to kind of use that to not have, like, so high expectations.

Q. It's a bit off-beat, but in Times Square there is a huge screen with a clothing advert of you. I wondered, have you seen it and how you kind of see that with you in such a spotlight?

IGA SWIATEK: I saw that on pictures. I was twice in Times Square in my life, and it was weird. Yeah, I'm going to enjoy that just from my phone.

But basically, yeah, I'm pretty happy that this campaign, you can see it out there. And, yeah, probably the most popular place I had my face on. So it's pretty amazing. Just trying to enjoy that because I remember times where it was pretty hard for anybody to see me or hear me.

Yeah, it just shows how much progress I have done on court, but also off court that I am in such a spot. So I'm pretty grateful.

Q. You mentioned earlier, you asked whether you were being asked for a prediction in Serena's next match. I figured, maybe you do have one. What are your thoughts?

IGA SWIATEK: I wanted to avoid that, actually, so it's stupid that I...

Q. What are your thoughts on the matchup? You spoke a little bit about the opponent for Serena, but what are your thoughts about their matchup?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly I just watched like few games yesterday, so it's hard for me to say how Serena is playing.

But I know Anett, yeah, it's not a mistake that she's second in the world right now. But on the other hand, I feel like, yeah, Serena is looking better and better every day. Shout-out to Rennae Stubbs (smiling).

So I don't know, honestly. Do you expect me to really... Okay. Sorry.

Q. Did you watch the match last night?

IGA SWIATEK: Two games.

Q. Two games? That's it?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah.

Q. Had to go to bed?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah. Yeah, and it was kind of too much for me even watching that, because, you know, all of the stuff that's going on around Serena, I realize how she must feel, but she is kind of used to it more than us.

You know, we never had such attention around us, because she's just a GOAT. She has it probably for most of her career, so I guess she's used to it. But for me, just watching that, I was pretty shocked, yeah.