THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/Zhu Lin

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Iga Swiatek.

Iga, good to get the first match under your belt?

IGA SWIATEK: Yes, for sure. I think it was a really solid performance from me, so I'm happy that I could just play my game and be in the rhythm, even though it was the first round.

I actually haven't got the experience I think of suspended match, then coming back after just like 15 minutes. I wanted to see how it's going to go. So I'm happy that it went well and I could close it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I wonder how different it feels this year over last year.

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know if I'm the right person to ask, because last year I just tried to -- I didn't feel comfortable. It's hard for me to kind of, like, remember how I felt in terms of the surface and everything because I had other things I had to work on, kind of.

But I feel like I think it's less windy a little bit, even though it was windy today, I think it's less than last year, at least the three days I played last year were windy.

People say that it's a little bit slower. I'll see after more time on these match courts, because I practiced at Aorangi yesterday. So I'll see.

Q. There are a lot of Americans playing today, Venus, Coco. What did you make of that and the threat at this tournament?

IGA SWIATEK: I'm not really thinking about that because I'm not looking at draws or anything. I don't really know honestly what's going on. I kind of just focus on my match.

I played first, so I didn't even have a chance to, like, follow other scores because, yeah, I knew I'm going to play at 1. That's what I focused on.

But, well, sorry, I can't really answer that. I have no idea what to say.

Q. You said on the court coming to Wimbledon last year was a bit overwhelming because you just won another slam, you were still new at that. Now that you've won quite a lot more slams, what's got easier in terms of dealing with winning?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, the thing is that last year I just felt like I still have this streak going. After Roland Garros, kind of everybody was talking about that. It was a lot kind of on my shoulders when I got into the tournament.

Obviously I tried to kind of just work through it, not really focus on that, what I usually do. Really I'm not looking at numbers or stats.

But, yeah, it wasn't easy, especially having I just played one tournament on grass last year. I think that's why was a little bit more tricky because I felt, like, rusty, kind of mentally in terms of the focus tennis-wise because I didn't play any matches on grass.

I think this year is much more comfortable for me. For sure winning a Grand Slam this year, it feels like I kind of reached my goal. I was really kind of happy and I could celebrate after. But last year, I just felt more expectations.

I think that's the difference.

Q. I wanted to ask you a little bit about Venus Williams. She's playing next up on Centre. What is it about her which you most admire on court or off court?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, looking at what's going on really now, I admire she still finds motivation to play. I think it's amazing. She really must love the game like truly.

Yeah, I just really admire that because I can't imagine how I'm going to be in, like, 10 or 15 years (smiling). But I hope I'm still going to find joy in playing and in competing.

Yeah, besides that, she's just a legend. She won so many tournaments, like really kind of powerful player. Especially like with Serena, they kind of made this, like, a combo on WTA Tour that was really unbreakable.

Yeah, she's a legend.

Q. How did the experience you had here last year that you described a few minutes ago affect your thought process and preparation for this year?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I kind of just sat down this year and I tried to remember how we practiced, what we have done these two weeks before Wimbledon. I remember we did a lot of, like, things that were connected to touch and slices, getting back slices. I think it's great. That's kind of what Agnieszka Radwanska was using a lot, what my coach kind of taught me that last year.

This year I feel like we did more in terms of just like my baseline game, but also footwork I think because I just had more time to try all these things that I practiced on matches in Bad Homburg.

It's hard to point one thing because we're usually working on everything in tennis, you know? But I just feel like it's easier for it to click this time because I'm not that rusty. I played some matches. I felt like I can do it. Gave me a lot of confidence.

Q. How did that affect you today on court, the preparation that you just described?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, in many ways because when you feel like you've done a really good job on pre-season or these weeks before the tournament, you feel like you have more weapons. It's as easy as that, honestly.

Q. Picking up on the nice words you had to say about Venus Williams, she said on Saturday that actually her proudest achievement in her life is the role she played in achieving equal prize money here at Wimbledon in 2007, more than any of her five titles here. How aware are you in that role she played?

IGA SWIATEK: I should be more aware, I got to tell you honestly. I was kind of six years old. When I came on WTA Tour, I don't know, I'm too young and it felt like it's obvious that we have equal prize money, but I know it wasn't like that. It still isn't like that on some tournaments.

When I grew up, I respected more and more the work that all these generations before have done for us to be able to do our job and get the money we deserve.

Yeah, right now I'm aware. But I got to tell you that I still need to study a little bit. I'm just grateful that they made this easier for us, you know, Billie Jean King, Venus as well.

Yeah, I feel like I'm just grateful, but I need to study. Sorry (smiling).