UNITED CUP

January 6, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Team Poland

Press Conference

Team USA - 2

Team Poland - 0

THE MODERATOR: Iga, welcome to Sydney. Jessica is obviously a difficult opponent. Just talk us through the match a bit.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure she played I think like a perfect match, and it was pretty hard for me to find any spot where I could come back, because she really didn't let me do that. So congrats for her.

I mean, for sure, you know, she's one of the best players in the world, so you have to be really on top of your game to win against Jessie. It was always like that, even last season, you know.

So I'm not kind of surprised, because I know what she can do. But I'm more surprised with, I don't know, I just wasn't able to kind of step up to her game today or even do as I did, you know, usually, be more proactive, because I was just missing too much. So it happens.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Why the tears at the end?

IGA SWIATEK: Because I just knew that I felt kind of helpless today, because physically and mentally I wasn't able to kind of show up even, and problem-solve. So it's always hard when you lose, especially when you're kind of playing for the team and your country.

So I was just sad. But, you know, it's not the first time I cried after a lost match. Nothing special.

Q. What do you think specifically really made the difference today when you consider that four times you played her last year, you won each one. It's three-and-a-half years since the last time she beat you.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I would say she for sure learned her lesson and she played really well. Even in defense she was just putting one more ball in and kind of giving me chances to make a mistake.

I was off the rhythm, as well. I couldn't kind of use Jessie's power to put even more in the ball. I more like kind of pushed it back in. When I wanted to play more aggressively, I just missed a lot. But she also forced that.

So I guess, like, yeah, well, her game, for sure, I feel like she was more solid and she didn't make, I think, unforced error for first, I don't know, 10 minutes of the match. I'm not sure, but it looked like it.

Usually, yeah, I was able to, even when I didn't feel perfectly and I felt like not everything is in my control, I was able to, you know, play an even higher level. And today I couldn't do that.

But I know why. I'm sure that next time I'm going to have a situation like that I'm going to be kind of more aware. And maybe -- you know, you can't always win, but maybe I'll just do more.

Q. How difficult has the adjustment been from Brisbane to Sydney, the change of climate, slight change in time zone and the environment?

IGA SWIATEK: Time zone, I don't think it matters, but honestly we didn't have time to rest at all. Yeah, I mean, I'm not gonna blame that, because, you know, because we just have to, you know, play tennis.

But, yeah, like past two days were -- it was pretty unfortunate, everything basically. Our travel got delayed yesterday. You know, after like sitting all day you have to practice and get used to the conditions, but you can't do that in like 30 minutes. The conditions are similar, the court is basically the same, but, you know, the rain. In Brisbane it was pretty humid and hot. Here, the opposite.

So I wouldn't say I needed to get used to it, but for sure I think traveling all day yesterday it caused that I didn't have -- like, my reaction time was probably a little bit worse.

You know, it's not only about traveling because you have to pack, you have to unpack, you have to organize everything. When you have a big team, you also kind of, I don't know, hear about also what's going on when you have to really logistically, I don't know, be involved in traveling in such -- when you're involved traveling in such a big group there is more going on, you know.

Yeah, so it wasn't easy. I didn't recover well. I think I didn't recover at all. Again, you know, usually it doesn't happen like that on other tournaments, so I'm not worried about that.

Q. Did you recharge your batteries from last season?

IGA SWIATEK: Ooh. I would say for sure I learned how to rest properly, but when I came back home after vacation, which were great, by the way, I had like too much stuff to do off court, which is always the issue when I come back to Warsaw, and I'm working on that.

But sometimes, you know, you push all these things during the season to do them after, and then when preseason comes and all this stuff, you know, sometimes is a little bit too much.

I'm doing my best to plan everything properly and also take care of like the business side of my career. But, yeah, I'm still learning how to do that properly.

I would say I recharged my batteries, but preseason is so intense that when you're playing first tournament of the season, you feel a little bit of fatigue. So I feel like I'm going to be more fresh before Australian Open actually than before this tournament.

Q. How would you assess the matchups for Poland's matches tomorrow? Magda against Keys and Hubi against Fritz. What Magda and Hubi need to do in those matchups.

IGA SWIATEK: Ooh, I'm not good at analyzing and also I didn't watch any of USA matches, so it's hard for me to say. I have a belief that we can do a lot. Magda played really solid match two days ago.

So I hope she's going to be confident. I would say they are both kind of, you know, 50/50, but it depends. You know, there are a lot of factors in tennis you can't really measure. So we'll see.

But I will do my best on the bench. I wasn't able to do that on court today, but I will do my best to cheer and help them (smiling).

Q. In a couple of months, it will be your first anniversary as World No. 1. When you look back, how would you assess the way you have handled it? Do you like the fame and attention that comes with it?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I wouldn't say, you know, like I handled it, that it's done, because these are the things you have to kind of work on every tournament and every week basically.

So for sure I, yeah, I did that pretty well throughout the whole season, since March, and I hope to continue doing that.

But, yeah, it's not easy. You know, on court I try to use that position to put more pressure on my opponents, but off court, there is a lot to do. You know, I don't talk about it too much, because it's not like you have so much to do every day that you don't have time to sleep. But every day there is something coming up or every month, and suddenly you realize you kind of lost your balance.

But I have good people around me who are also helping me take care of that, because, you know, I'm a perfectionist, so without them I would be probably working 24/7.

Yeah, and I'm trying to, yeah, have more balance and not, you know, waste energy on things that don't matter, honestly. But, yeah, it's not easy. But I guess being outside top 50 is not easy, as well. Every job is hard.