MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 30, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/B. Pera

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Iga, can you please share your thoughts on your match tonight.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think it was a solid performance, and I'm happy that I was really focused on this event and I was able to kind of keep my level throughout the whole match. I'm happy that I played well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. When you face a lefty and you're preparing to face a lefty, do you always try and find a left-handed hitting partner? Is there any specific thing that you do to prepare differently?

IGA SWIATEK: Yes. We are trying to play a practice day before and maybe warm up with a left-handed sparring partner, but it's not always possible.

In Warsaw I played many times with a lefty during the week, so I'm kind of used to playing with lefties. Also last year on Indian Wells I had a tournament where I played I think two or three matches against lefties, so I think I can manage.

But it's also, you know, nice to have somebody who can serve this way with the same spin. But, yeah, so if I want to make my life easier, I'm always going to ask for a lefty sparring partner.

Q. I imagine you have played on many clay courts in your life. How unique are these conditions in altitude? Is there anything that comes to mind that you have played on in the past that's similar to this or not at all?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, no, like this is the only place basically except Guadalajara, but these were hard courts, where we have to play in altitude. So I never played in a place like that.

Also, you know, it feels like we are playing indoors when we are playing on the stadium, so the difference between the outside courts and the stadium is pretty big. Usually is not the case, so it's totally different.

Q. With the new format of the tournament now, you have one day between matches. I would like to ask you, how are you managing that time, if you have time to visit the city or rest a little bit more?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I do both, actually. It's not a problem because we are kind of used to having one day off in slams. So I like both of the systems, I would say.

Here it's a little bit combined, because twice we have no break, like tomorrow I'm gonna play, and then I think between quarters and semis, but I'm not sure. Yeah?

I don't mind, really. I can adjust to anything. Doesn't really matter. It would maybe matter if I would play like three-setters and have no days off, but for now it's fine.

Q. When you first came on the tour, there were a lot of counterpunchers at the top like Halep and Kerber and Wozniacki. Now it feels like the game is a lot more aggressive at the top. You have talked about how much you have changed your game. Do you feel that? Have you felt a shift in the game?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, but also there was Naomi, right, and Serena who played pretty strong game. So I don't know. I don't know if there is a change or not, but for sure, you know, I think we are overall like playing with more speed and physically we are ready to react faster, you know, so maybe this is why we play faster.

But I would say, you know, having both things combined and being able to do both, like, I don't know, Rafa or Novak, they can play great in defense and, you know, kind of be patient and also they can attack well.

I think this should be the goal of every tennis player. You know, that's why we are kind of working on both, but for sure there are many girls right now who are playing fast serve and fast first ball. I don't know. I can't really tell you, but I don't mind.

Q. I would like to know what is the best and the worst in a tennis player's life?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh. You just want one thing? Well, the worst I would say jet lag. And the best, like, money and traveling (smiling). Well, that's kind of obvious. No? (Laughter.)

Q. What are your techniques for dealing with jet lag?

IGA SWIATEK: Hmm. Well, it depends, because sometimes when we are traveling like from Australia through Middle East and then States, it's all fine, but then when we are coming back to Europe and if we are gonna go from States to China it's going to be tricky.

So going from west to east, yeah, from west to east, well, for sure, I need just some help in like Melatonin and stuff. But also Daria is kind of working on having these different like lamps that are kind of in a good brightness.

How to say that, Daria?

DARIA: Well, there are more and more protocols about daylight and how to manage a 24-hour cycle and rhythm.

IGA SWIATEK: So she bought me a lamp and I switch it like on a relax mode... This is just a lamp, so I don't know that it's that important, but, well, for sure, traveling from west to east, it's harder, and you just have to kind of be patient. If I'm practicing, it's much easier to kind of get through it.

Sometimes after US Open, for example, I had like week off, and it was much worse to kind of get back into the rhythm. Yeah.