OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 11, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/Danielle Collins

6-3, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions.

Q. Could you describe the match? Could you compare the Danielle Collins you faced today to the one you faced earlier this year when you beat her I think in Doha? Can you compare her match today?

IGA SWIATEK: I do remember a lot about that match in Doha because it was really windy. I didn't want to -- there wasn't a lot that I could learn from that match, I guess.

I felt good in Doha. I don't know. I felt actually that she couldn't cope with the wind as well as I did, so today it wasn't the case.

So I knew what I have to do, and for sure being in tennis is like the most important thing. And she's playing really fast, so sometimes it's hard to do that, but I'm happy that in the third set I could even increase the level and just play really powerful and fast.

Q. I saw a quote after you lost to her at the Aussie Open where you said that she hit the fastest balls you had ever seen. How do you think you've been able to cope with that? Maybe you can't take away much from last match, but you won again tonight, so...

IGA SWIATEK: Well, yeah, Australian Open was a weird experience because I saw already I can kind of overcome these situations when the opponent is playing really fast, but she really hit it 100% and risking a lot, but it was mostly in, you know.

Today I knew that she can do this again because I already experienced that in Australian Open, so I wanted to be proactive and be just really intense for her to feel the pressure as well.

Q. The last matches have been quite long. Where is your energy level right now?

IGA SWIATEK: It's still high. So I wouldn't worry about that. For sure tomorrow is going to be a little bit tougher since we have not a lot of time to recover, but physically I've been really well prepared.

And I've never had a situation in my life where I kind of after two longer matches when I didn't have energy. I think actually the hardest tournament in terms of that was the Australian Open last year, but this tournament I feel good, so it's fine.

Q. I noticed that your ball toss, let's say it was not perfect today, your ball toss. I was curious what is your thought process here? When do you cancel the service motion? When you think about it, it can be a brave thing to actually stop and regroup.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly, it's pretty similar to earlier matches. I just stop the movement more often because I realized that I sometimes play -- I sometimes served from the bad toss, which really doesn't make sense.

So I hope it's not going to be annoying for the fans and the referee as well. But, yeah, it's not perfect, but I don't see a point of serving when it's bad, and I can really repeat it. It's something that only I have influence on. I'll work on it, and today I served well, so I guess it worked.

Q. Can you say a couple of things about your next opponent?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, Jesse, we faced each other plenty of times. She's really consistent and one of the best players for the last couple of seasons.

It's not going to be easy for sure, but yeah, I'm not going to tell you the tactics. So I'll just say that I'll give my best, and I hope it's going to be a nice match.

Q. After the first set you took a break and left with your notebook, and I was curious as to what's in that notebook that you needed after winning a set 6-3?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, just kind of remind myself the key things that I focused on when I went on court, you know, to kind of keep the same things that worked before the second set and to keep doing that, but nothing special honestly.

It's just like during the match many thoughts can come, and I always want to kind of start the same way if I won a set.

Q. What is your favorite way or the best way that you like to prepare before a match?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, I have the same routine. Mostly I start 20 minutes before, and I have a pretty intense warmup with my headphones on.

So I have this rock 'n' roll playlist that I listen to, and I go to toilet, and I go on court.

Q. Just wondering, when Collins started to build some momentum during the second set, what was going through your head? Did it seem like maybe just for a little bit that she might turn the tide?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure the momentum changed a little bit. I knew that I can't really afford to stop my hands, so I really wanted to play, to swing it.

On this tournament I tried to not overanalyze everything. I have easy solutions and easy things that I need to do to play better, so I just thought what I need to change.

For sure it's not easy to do that when it's, like, I don't know, 4-5 or something, but I knew that I always have -- I'm going to have a chance to regroup and to play better tennis in third set.

So I just played, and I made some mistakes obviously, but in the third I knew what I had to change.