US OPEN

August 30, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/D. Saville

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: An hour, 34. Assess your performance this afternoon.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't know. I just felt like I kind of prevailed, because that match wasn't easy. I'm just happy to be in the third round. For sure I want to improve some stuff, because I did some unforced errors. You know, it's just the beginning of the tournament, so for sure I work on some stuff, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Dasha can be such a tough opponent, how she throws just everything at you. You still were able to stay calm and get through her best tennis and still win in straight sets. Talk about getting through her unpredictable game.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, there's nothing more I can say. For sure I wanted to be intensive, and mostly I was in charge of what I'm going to kind of play, because I was the one that was attacking.

But for sure I made some mistakes because you kind of need to, you know, risk a little bit more. But, yeah, for sure it wasn't easy. She was using most of my power to get these balls back.

So yeah, I'm just happy at the end I was the one that won. Yeah.

Q. Looking ahead to playing Kaja, I understand you guys had dinner earlier this week?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, like two days ago.

Q. Did you know you were in each other's draws and what are your thoughts on facing her?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I knew, but still it's hard to predict what's gonna happen. It doesn't really matter. We know how to keep it cool and we already played couple of times against each other. Last time in Roland Garros, 2021.

You know, I think we both can kind of cut off the off-court friendship and just play our game, and then we are friends back. At least there's nothing crazy is going to happen.

But for sure she's, yeah, she's my best friend on tour. She's one of the most, like, honest and I think smart people on tour. I'm happy that she's my friend, but yeah, we've got to play against each other. It's a tricky situation, but I think we both know how to be professional and just play the match and that's all.

Q. When you guys having known each other for as long as you have and coming from juniors up, nowadays when you have dinner are you talking about tennis or books you read? How exactly have the conversations changed over time?

IGA SWIATEK: We are talking about everything. You know how it is. Yeah, obviously we are talking about tennis, because it's our life, you know, but also, you know, other stuff. Yeah, mostly everything.

Well, I don't know if I should tell you. These are kind of, like...

Q. I'm just asking generally.

IGA SWIATEK: Generally everything, really.

Q. How long does it generally take you in these Grand Slams to start to feel confident and start to feel like you're getting into your rhythm?

IGA SWIATEK: What was the beginning?

Q. How long does it generally take you in these Grand Slams to start to feel confident and feel like your rhythm? Is it something you have ever felt from the beginning or is it day by day, match by match?

IGA SWIATEK: No, I felt confident from the beginning on many tournaments and Grand Slams, as well. There is no rule and no schedule, you know. Every tournament is totally different and you have different struggles and different obstacles, and also different... Sometimes it's easier, you know. It depends. There is no rule.

Q. I wanted to ask you about emotion in tennis. It's one of those sports where it bubbles to the surface on court. We see a lot of tears both in good times and bad. I wonder if you can comment on what it's like to be in an environment like that where it can happen in front of so many people?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, wow. Well, for sure it's not easy, you know. I think, you know, the worst emotion you can feel in sport is shame when you play bad and you know that all these people are watching, you know.

So this is something that I think, you know, this is the hardest thing. I felt that, you know, couple of times in my career. It wasn't easy.

For sure, you know, there are positive and negative emotions. Usually it's harder to handle the negative ones. Yeah, it's not easy. It's part of the job to kind of just accept that you're going to be watched and kind of not care about that.

But on the other hand, yeah, work on being able to kind of control your emotions and what you do on court.

Yeah, I'm also working on that, and I think I made huge progress since couple of years ago. Yeah, I don't remember last time I broke a racquet or, I don't know, had, like, a burst of emotions, you know. Usually obviously there is something, because I am emotional and this is, like, a stressful job with a lot of tension and adrenaline.

But still, yeah, I'm happy with how I'm managing that.

Q. What opportunities have you had this year to see Carlos and Novak play against each other? What have been your observations of their rivalry and how they are playing this year?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I watched both matches. I don't watch a lot, but these matches I actually watch from the beginning till the end.

Yeah, they are always really exciting, and you see, you know, the clash of, like, two generations.

Well, I don't know. They're just so solid and good. They don't give each other points for free. It's amazing how they can keep the intensity from the beginning till the end.

I don't know. I'm just watching them as a fan, you know, because I know that most of the stress they are playing it would be impossible for me to play (smiling).

I can learn obviously, like, from how they behave and, like, mentally how they never give up. There were like plenty of points in this match in Cincinnati when Carlos, I don't know, for example the match point how he saved this was unbelievable. I don't know. I'm watching more as a fan, yeah.

But how they fight till the end and, like, the clash of these two games is just amazing.

Q. What do you think their rivalry right now means to the sport?

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know. Well, I don't know, really. I don't think about the rivalries of other players a lot. It's inspiring for me. I can say from my perspective. I don't know what it means to, like, whole society. For me it's inspiring, and for me it's sometimes, yeah, just an inspiration to work harder and to not give up in important moments.

If they can handle it physically and mentally, then I know that I can, as well.

Q. Jess was talking about what her life was like when she was playing on the ITF tour and just what that experience was like kind of with the conditions and bad line calls and sometimes, you know, all that stuff.

IGA SWIATEK: I didn't play a lot on ITF tour.

Q. A few.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I won some 15Ks, 25, 60, and then I went in WTA.

Q. Fair point.

IGA SWIATEK: My transition was like I played on ITF to gain points to play junior Grand Slams. That was my only goal. Then I played to have better ranking to get to WTA. I don't know. I played, like, maximum, like, two years, I would say, 17 and 18. I don't know if I can say a lot.

But what was your question? Because I interrupted you.

Q. What your experience was like, how you saw -- I mean, I know you rose very quickly on the ITFs and stuff.

IGA SWIATEK: What my experience was. I don't remember, like, any drama. I just played tournaments and I remember I was pretty efficient, you know. Sometimes the only thing that was hard was, like, I don't know, finishing a tournament, because you played, I don't know, semifinal and then playing quallies the same day. That happened I think twice.

But overall, it was really quick for me, and I don't intend to come back. I hope to stay on WTA (smiling).

Q. Wanted to ask you about Dasha and her court coverage. Are you impressed by how well she's moving given she had such a serious knee injury less than a year ago?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I wasn't sure what's going on with her knee. I know it's been going on for a long time. I don't know the details. But for sure, yeah, she's covering a lot of court, and it's kind of she needs to do that, because she's this kind of player, you know, like short and needs to kind of get these wide balls.

I wasn't surprised, but I only just focus on myself what I need to do, but I'm happy that she's kind of back, you know, from all these injuries and troubles, because she's a really nice person and pretty positive player in the locker room. Yeah.