ROLAND GARROS

June 10, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/K. Muchova

6-2, 5-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Iga, congratulations. Another Roland Garros title, but also not an easy match. Just talk us through how it felt out there today.

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God. Do you want to start that roller coaster (smiling)?

No, I'm feeling all these different emotions right now. It's pretty surreal, everything. But the match was really intense, a lot of ups and downs. Stressful moments and coming back, you know. So I'm pretty happy that at the end I could be solid in those few last games and finish it.

But Karolina really played well. It was a big challenge. I'm happy and really proud of myself that I did it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congratulations. Do you feel that maybe this title feels a bit more special because of some of the struggles you've endured during the season, some battles with injuries, some tough losses, and even today you had to do a lot of problem-solving to get through?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't know. It's pretty hard to compare, you know, because I don't know, last year for sure it was a confirmation for me that the first time wasn't coincidence or something like that.

This one, for sure, it was a little bit tougher in terms of, you know, as you said, injuries and the pressure, and also coming back to this tournament as a defending champion, I right now feel like it's a little bit different.

I needed to really handle that. I'm super happy that I managed to do that and that Daria helped me, as well, because for sure these past three weeks weren't easy. You know, whole team effort also, you know, Maciej taking care of my health and actually managing these, you know, little injuries that happened. We know, you know, that it's going to happen in sport, but he's the reason basically I was able to compete, both after, you know, Indian Wells, I came back really quickly, and after Rome, as well.

So really shout-out to the team, because without them, I wouldn't be here.

Q. I just wondered what were your emotions at the end? We saw you crouched down on the clay. Obviously there were a lot of emotions flooding over you. Can you just say a bit what you were feeling.

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know. At first I was surprised, because I saw all these matches of Karolina when she was actually coming back from scores like that, before the match point I wasn't really thinking it's going to happen now. I just kind of, I just played -- I just gave it all. But I was a little bit surprised that it actually happened, you know. She was always coming back.

So I felt like, I don't know, I don't know what I felt. It's hard to describe. But a lot of happiness. I felt suddenly, you know, tired of these three weeks. Maybe my matches weren't like physically exhausting, but it's pretty hard to kind of keep your focus for these almost three weeks.

And also the whole swing, you know. Since Stuttgart I haven't been home. So I'm happy that, I don't know, I finished the whole clay court swing so well, and that I kind of survived. I guess I'm never going to kind of doubt my strength again maybe because of that (smiling).

Q. At a set and 3-Love, it was going similarly to some of your other Grand Slam finals here. Could you compare how you felt at that point to how you felt maybe when you were 2-Love down in the deciding set and sort of what was going through your mind.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure, you know, I felt pretty confident with my game in the second set, but I also knew that it's only one break. So I needed to stay constantly aware and like ready for everything, especially playing against Karolina, knowing that she's come back from really crazy situation in this tournament, and she managed to, you know, win those matches. I just wanted to be ready.

But for sure I felt like I let her a little bit into the match, which I shouldn't do, but obviously she's a great player so she used that chance.

Yeah, well, in the third set I didn't want to have any regrets about the second. I just kind of looked forward, and I said to myself, Okay, you know what? I'm just going to give it all. No thinking, no like, I don't know, analyzing. Just play my game, use my intuition, and that's really helped.

Q. There was a funny moment when you won the trophy and the lid fell off.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I'm sorry for that.

Q. What is your reaction to that? Has that ever happened in your celebrated career?

IGA SWIATEK: I honestly felt like I'm holding it with my finger, so I guess all these emotions, I don't know, caused that. Sorry. I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm glad that Suzanne Lenglen trophy is fine and it won't happen again probably, but we'll see (smiling).

I just hope I'm gonna have a chance to hold it again in future years.

Q. You mentioned a moment ago Daria and Tomasz. I wondering, during the match, especially when things were getting away from you in that second set, you were looking up there quite a bit. I'm wondering, what was that back and forth? What were you hoping for from them? What were they giving you in return? Was there anything there that eventually helped you?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure in second set I was more looking for some kind of advice and just a view of what I'm doing wrong sometimes, you know.

But in third, I was just, I don't know, I looked at them with no reason. I didn't want anything back. I just kind of felt like I need to be more courageous and make some good decisions, and I just looked at them because, I don't know, they are always there and they are that kind of support that you can sometimes lean on.

But, no, like nothing really deep. Just, I don't know...

Q. In that third set, down 4-3, what was it that you wanted to do and were able to do successfully to turn things back around?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, after so many ups and downs, I kind of stopped thinking about the score. I wanted to use my intuition more, because I knew that I can play a little bit better if I'm going to get a little bit more loosened up. It helped, for sure, in the third set.

But honestly, this match was like so long, with so many ups and downs, that I can't really know right now. I'll for sure analyze it and watch it and then I will know a little bit more.

Q. Congratulations. You're one of three players that holds the four major trophies at the moment. Obviously you have two and Elena and Aryna have the other two, and there is talk of a new big three. How do you feel about the concept of a big three, whether you welcome it or whether you feel with your four titles and being World No. 1 that you should be considered separate to the other two?

IGA SWIATEK: I don't really analyze that, because I know that this is something that kind of you guys created, and I understand that fans love that. You too. So I'm trying to just be focused on my work. And for me, there is no reason to do that.

I look at my clay court season and I see on every tournament I really played consistently. I reached, you know, like quarterfinals, semifinals, finals, I won Stuttgart, I won this tournament, I'm kind of just focused on myself and I don't care about the other two players.

Q. The tournament is over, and you probably have the time now to look at the rest of the world. Not sure how much you are aware, there was some controversy during the tournament with Aryna and some questions she was asked and things that happened. I was wondering, how much of that kind of stuff do you let in your bubble when you're in Grand Slam mode? And if you have had the opportunity to think about that. Wondering if you could share your views with us.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I kind of stay in my bubble. Honestly, the only thing I kind of do is just, you know, honestly just prepare for your questions and I kind of just want to show good values. So I'm kind of like preparing to do that before my press conferences.

But I'm not using a lot of social media and not reading a lot. So honestly, if I didn't have like briefs from my PR team, I wouldn't even sometimes know about this stuff.

I know that it may be weird, because I should, you know, be aware what's going on, but it's like the best way for me to really be focused and do my job properly.

After the tournaments, as you said, I always take time to kind of catch up with everything that was going on. Obviously, I heard what happened.

Q. Can you share your views with us?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, the only thing I can kind of say is just to like repeat myself and my views on how we as tennis community, I don't know, should be kind of together in doing like every effort to make the Russian aggression stop.

My support goes to all the Ukrainians, because I know that their situation isn't easy. Like if I would be in their shoes, I don't know if I would be able to compete, honestly. So I really, really respect them, and I want to kind of keep my focus on doing what's gonna be right for them.

Yeah, that's all I can honestly say.

Q. You have lifted four Grand Slam trophies now. As we have said, the lid hasn't always stayed on. But could you lift the lid and tell us what you want to achieve next? What do you think you can do in your career? How many more titles can you win?

IGA SWIATEK: You really want me to do that, or was that a metaphor (smiling)?

No, like honestly, I'm not really looking that far. I'm just happy with what happened during these past few weeks. I don't know what I'm kind of capable of.

So I will work day by day to, you know, play best game possible and to develop as a player. I'm not setting like any, these crazy records or goals for myself. I know that keeping it cool is the best way to do it for me. I'm trying more to do that.

Q. Your domination was complete during all the tournament. Is it a regret to lose a set today?

IGA SWIATEK: No, no, it's not, honestly. Again, it's something like -- no, no, no. I don't really -- well, it would be a regret if I would lose. I would know that probably the second set was my chance to win this match, but no. I'm just happy that I won the third set and that's the most important thing.