ROLAND GARROS

June 5, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/L. Tsurenko

5-1 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Iga, never easy, never nice to end with a victory like today, but could you rate your performance so far in the tournament.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure I felt like, I don't know, every match I was playing better, and even today for these few games that I had a chance to play, I felt pretty confident.

So overall, I'm happy with the performance, but of course, as you said, it's not nice to finish a match like that. So I hope Lesia is going to be okay and she'll recover quickly.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I wanted to ask you now that you're 22 and you have had plenty of Grand Slams, how much do you think experience helps you at this stage of the tournament going forward?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, a lot. But sometimes I would say it helps even more at the first part. Because, you know, I remember my first Grand Slams that I played when I was in fourth round I was already exhausted, like mentally and physically, you know, because, well, maybe because of my level as well the matches were tougher, you know. But mentally, like, every match cost me a lot.

But right now I'm kind of able to, I don't know, process it a little bit better. In the first part of the tournament I think it's pretty important to also, you know, keep the power for the next rounds, even though I'm trying not to think about the next rounds, you know, and I'm giving 100% on every match.

But, yeah, for sure, experience helps. You just feel like, I don't know, I already played so many matches like that that there are going to be other chances, as well. But the most important thing is just to play the best tennis possible that day.

Q. I don't know at what point in your career making a Grand Slam quarterfinal was a big deal, and then now maybe it feels a little bit more what you expect from yourself. I don't know. But can you talk about when you started to feel that change a little bit.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, it depends, because I would say on the hard court Grand Slams, it's still -- well, if I would have a quarterfinal of Wimbledon, I would be, like, over the moon and I wouldn't believe that I'm in that place, you know (smiling).

But I guess it depends. But in Roland Garros I always felt like, you know, I can do a lot. Even on my first Grand Slam here I went to a fourth round. So I don't want to take this like for granted, because I know every tournament is a different story, and we all can kind of have really tough opponents even in the first or second round and struggle, because, as well, you know, the beginnings of the tournaments are sometimes tough.

No, but I just feel pretty solid here. I'm happy that I'm in a quarterfinal, and every year I'm gonna do my best to always, you know, reach these stages or even more so.

Yeah. I don't know, like, if there was some breakthrough in my career that, I don't know, it stopped being a surprise, you know, but it also depends on the surface and tournament, I would say.

Q. You've got a great record here at Roland Garros. Do you think that there is a difference between thinking you can win a Grand Slam and knowing you can win a Grand Slam?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, even if I know I can win a Grand Slam, it's still not 100% that I'm going to win a Grand Slam because in tennis we don't have influence on everything. When I think I can win a Grand Slam, it's pretty much the same situation, so I don't see a difference.

Yeah? Do you see a difference?

Sorry. No, like, I don't know.

Q. I wanted to ask if you could look ahead a little bit to what's next, playing Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. Specifically I'm wondering what sticks out in your mind the most from last year's final here, and what, from your past matches against her, can help you, all of your past matches against her, can help you in two days?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure, you know, on one hand I know her game, you know, and I know how it feels to play against Coco. But on the other hand, playing so many matches against each other, I think, you know, as I said during my first or second conference, what's the difference between playing against players you've played seven or eight times and the new ones?

Well, I think, you know, there is a chance we can make something tactically, you know, because we already know our game so well because it has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of the preparation before the match. But honestly, you know, yeah, that's what I can take from previous matches.

But last year, you know, it was a final, so I think, you know, finals have kind of different rules. Sometimes these matches are a little bit different than the other rounds that we play during the tournament because of, you know, the pressure and everything that's going on around.

So, you know, this is a totally different year, totally different tournament. I have to be ready, you know, regardless of what happened last year.

Q. For you, for your reason, especially in Grand Slam, is it a positive thing or a negative thing to play only six games today?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, hmm. Again, it's advantages and not, because I played two short matches two days ago and today. So for sure maybe tomorrow I'm gonna add some more intensity or volume to my practice. I will also talk with my coach about it, but on the other hand I think it's a way better situation than, you know, playing four three-setters and being exhausted physically.

It's great that I'm in a quarterfinal, and I still feel fresh, you know. I'm gonna take more positives from that situation. I already had some tournaments where my first matches were fast and it was fine. So I also have experience at that.

Q. The Roland Garros crowd is notorious for being quite enthusiastic, booing a lot. Wondering what you knew about the crowd before you started playing here and what it's been like experiencing it since you've started playing here.

IGA SWIATEK: What do I know about the crowd?

Q. The crowd, in terms of its reputation for booing and what your experience has been, and also just being enthusiastic in general.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I'm pretty fortunate to not have these experiences yet. (Laughter.) But, well, they are sometimes harsh, I can say, but on the other hand they are really enthusiastic.

Honestly, it's great that even on qualification or first rounds, we sometimes have, you know, full stadiums or full courts somewhere, and the tournament actually makes it easier for people to attend and come, I guess. The atmosphere is great.

Even having like when Daniil was playing first round, Mexican wave on a first round, that's pretty crazy. I know they are pretty enthusiastic, and I also know they are kind of picky and sometimes they don't like certain situations. So I'm trying to be polite and not to discuss with umpires a lot.

I just hope, I don't know, they are going to show more enthusiasm and less negative booing and stuff on my matches and I'll do my best to behave properly.

Q. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a general question, which in our sport in tennis, there are a lot of rules, customs, and traditions. If you were in charge and could have your way, what one or two rules or traditions or customs would you switch or change?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God. That's a tough one.

I don't know, because I feel like this is a traditional sport, and it's nice that we are keeping it that way. But on the other hand, you know, there are some changes as like, I don't know, we have tiebreaks in the third set here on Grand Slams or we can wear colorful clothing. Only in Wimbledon it didn't change but it's fine, because it's its own rules, and that's what makes it Wimbledon as well, you know.

Oh, my God. What would I change? I guess like I have never had a problem with my sport being the traditional one, so maybe I would change some things that are not kind of, that has nothing to do with the tradition. I would love to like not have a longer season, like every year basically it's getting longer and longer.

So I think for sake of our health maybe some day it would be nice if we could stop prolonging it, but on the other hand, I know it's business and everything.

It doesn't have a lot to do with tradition, but there are some things. But I like the tradition, like tradition part of our sport.

Q. In the last round you said that when you step on the court you always want to show respect to your opponent, whatever the situation and respect your opponent, whatever the situation. You thought respect was an important thing. Do you think there is enough respect in tennis between the players, within the media, and by the fans?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, obviously sometimes there are like tense situations, and, like, obviously there are some players that sometimes act, you know, in a way that we're thinking, oh, he shouldn't say that or she shouldn't say that, or he shouldn't behave like that.

We are human and we make mistakes. The thing is if like they are working on it, you know, and actually trying to not do that in the future.

But, well, overall kind of I'm just focused on myself, and I know that I always wanted to be a good person, so I just feel better when I'm respectful. I'm doing that for others, as well, but also for myself, because I just feel like I can be honest with myself and a good human. But I don't know about others. Like, I can't really judge, but we all should be respectful, obviously.