AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Tell us how the last few days of preparation have gone.

IGA SWIATEK: I had pretty solid practices, so I'm happy to be here and I'm happy that I have a long time to get the conditions and get the feeling of these courts.

But I also enjoyed my time off. So, yeah, it's a good combination.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How is the shoulder feeling?

IGA SWIATEK: One more time?

Q. How is the injury feeling?

IGA SWIATEK: It's good. It's good. So don't worry about it. There's nothing bad going on (smiling).

Q. What was your sort of immediate reaction when you saw the draw and you saw your opponent?

IGA SWIATEK: I didn't really see the draw. I only know who I playing first round. I'm coming back to the system I had during whole season 2022. So I can't really say anything.

For sure, Jule, we played on US Open, and you saw how intense that match was, how tough. It's not going to be easy. But on other hand, any match in Grand Slam is always more intense and more stressful than other tournaments. I'll be ready for it.

It's nice also that we played not so long ago so I can take a lot from that match. Now I know how her ball feels on the racquet. So we'll see. But she has the same.

So we'll see.

Q. I saw you got the chance to have a hit with Ash Barty today, which is really cool. Obviously this isn't going to happen any time soon, but is there a part of you that longs to play her at her peak, the two of you at both your peaks at the same time?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure when she retired I felt like she still have the best tennis out there. So, yeah, I was pretty sad that I'm not going to be able to compete against her and maybe win.

But on the other hand she gave me a lot in terms of my motivation and my kind of willingness to practice even more and to get my tennis more -- to have more variety on court. When I played against her, I felt like she just has all these different game styles and slice. Even her book she says she has, like, five types of slice. I don't know how that's possible. I still haven't figured out only one type (smiling).

But, yeah, I have like huge respect for Ash. She really gave me huge motivation at the beginning of last season to get even better. I'm kind of grateful for that.

Q. Do you ever think about where you would be now if Ash hadn't retired?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't know. Honestly, I don't think about things like that because there are so many scenarios, like different scenarios, that can happen in life. Many things could happen and I wouldn't be here.

On the other hand maybe I would get through them and still be at the same place. So I don't know.

Q. Can you talk about the challenges the Australian Open presents a player? How do you feel in terms of similarities to the US Open, which you won? What are the differences to the US Open?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure the timing. This is the first Grand Slam of the season, which makes it a little bit easier in terms of, like, physicality because we should be more fresh. I always felt like I'm more ready for these longer matches and I can really push myself even harder.

But on the other hand conditions are sometimes tough. Actually, I was lucky that for the previous years I didn't play in, I don't know, like 37 degrees. I always missed that. So I don't know if I'm going to get a chance to play this year in that kind of heat. We'll see.

Yeah, US Open is tough because it's September, so I feel like we are all pretty tired. The conditions are different, as well, because -- wait, is it dry or humid? I don't remember.

It's just different. The hard courts are faster. So, yeah. But for me the timing is the most important thing, I would say.

Q. Last year you said during the off-season, working with Tomasz, you were working on being more aggressive, embracing that game. For this preseason and this season, the early stages of the season, have you guys talked about kind of what the improvements they wanted to see, what you guys worked on? What is the next evolution of the Iga Swiatek game?

IGA SWIATEK: I would say like the differences are going to be smaller. I think it's normal because when you get to the point where your ball is pretty fast, it's not like you can make it even faster because you're going to kind of lose control. There are kind of limits in terms of that.

I also think, I don't know, the greatest players that are consistent throughout their whole careers, it's not like -- I don't think Novak changed a lot in his game since few years ago, so...

I think it matters to kind of be able to just be consistent with the best game you have. Sometimes actually I feel like I tend to give even too much in terms of maybe the speed.

For me, it's all about staying kind of solid and actually, like, not changing a lot. It worked, so why would I change a lot?

Q. Last year you talked about trying to be kinder to yourself. I wonder if you had any goals for this year along those same lines in terms of your mental approach?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think I'm always going to have this part of me that is a perfectionist. When I'm not feeling comfortable on court, it's kind of hard to not be harsh.

On the other hand the most important thing is kind of to find this balance that on court, for sure I want to get better and better, but off the court, the things that happen on the practice day don't have to influence my whole day and my whole mood. I think these are the things I've been working on. It's for sure getting better.

But, yeah, I mean, we care so much and we give ourselves to this sport that it's sometimes tough to find this balance. But I'm getting better at it, for sure.

Q. You read The Players' Tribune piece. On the topic of introverts, do you think that tennis is a sport where introverts tend to thrive or there's something built about it that seems to cater towards a more introverted personality? Maybe I'm wrong. Or do you think it's 50/50?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, it's hard for me to judge, honestly, because I never really analyzed other, like, personalities of other people.

Sometimes people, we are on court, we are kind of different than off court. It's not that easy to see that. But, yeah, well, it's individual sport, so it should be a little bit easier.

On the other hand most of the time we spend on-site we're spending with our teams. You have to also be able to communicate well in this area, have good relationships because when you don't stay in one place all the time, it's also harder to make connections. You kind of have to work on that and not be so introverted.

Q. What are your three greatest strengths?

IGA SWIATEK: On court?

Q. Yes.

IGA SWIATEK: Should I say? No, because my coach is like, You say too much (smiling).

I would say my backhand, second serve, and return. Footwork maybe.