CHINA OPEN

October 4, 2023

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/M. Linette

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the win. What are your thoughts on the match?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think I played really well. I'm just happy that I could dominate from the beginning till the end. I didn't lose my focus. I was pretty determined today, so I'm really proud of my performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just wanted to ask for a couple more of your thoughts on the confidence was flowing, particularly by the second set, and whether one of the tactics today was simply to make Magda run back and forth? I feel a lot of your rallies had this left-to-right quality.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think it was pretty visible because we played, like, three rallies like that in a row. But overall that wasn't, like, the tactics. Obviously it's always nice to play like that because you make your opponent run.

But overall I just kind of played what I felt I needed to and what I felt was right at the moment. Yeah, well, for sure the confidence level got higher when I just saw that I'm in control.

Q. Is that what you expected before the match? The press in Poland was calling this Polish Day. It went for easily. Is this what you expected?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I didn't expect anything. As I'm always saying before matches, you never know. It's like we're playing against a human, so it may go different ways. You could see that lately I also have like ups and downs.

I was just kind of focused on myself. I wasn't expecting anything. I was expecting from myself to give 100% no matter what I'm going to kind of feel.

But I felt really good today. I knew I have to just really be focused and really keep it that way till the end. That's all. Yeah, I wasn't expecting anything before the match because it's hard to.

Q. It's your 60th match win of the year today. I'm curious, what has been the key in terms of managing your load throughout the year? I think you also got 60 last year. Walking around, everybody looks really tired. It's the end of the season. What has been the key to maintain your load to get that many victories?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think I'm not the best person to plan things, honestly. I would put too much on my shoulders (smiling).

I guess my team is really making great work, really balancing that out. I mean, after US Open, I was -- I mean, before US Open, honestly I was kind of torn if I want to really keep pushing myself, play every tournament to fight for year-end No. 1. But after US Open I realized there are more important stuff to kind of take care of. Sometimes it's better to take it easy.

I also shifted my attitude a little bit. I shifted it to just becoming a better player. So for sure I'm not that kind of player who's, like, eager to play every tournament week by week. I'm also a player that needs to have a life and a balance.

Yeah, also I feel like tennis is more fun that way when you have little bit of breaks, then you can come back and be more hungry for the game.

Obviously it's hard to do that because we're one of the few sports that have only six weeks of break. If we choose, we could also play during these things weeks.

It's becoming harder and harder in tennis to stop and reflect and choose the right tournaments. That's why I need good people around me and really experienced coaches to know what's right and what's not. I'm pretty grateful that I have that.

Q. You said in discussions with your team helping you to maybe not focus on chasing points through the end of the year. Was that a difficult decision for you? What was the hesitation from your side to eventually be able to get over the hump and make that decision?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly on one hand for sure I had to kind of force myself to stop a little bit. On the other hand I just felt it's not the right way to go.

I had that No. 1 ranking for a long time. I feel like I deserve time to regroup a little bit, then be better. But sometimes chasing something or really focusing on, I don't know, how do you say that? Sorry, I forgot the word. Like giving up some stuff that seemed right to chase or to gain more points, it's not the right way to go. I kind of understood that.

I'm happy that I chose to play and my coaches chose for me only to play Tokyo and Beijing and the Finals. Obviously I think it would be much easier if the Finals were earlier so we don't have to wait three weeks, then I could have, like, longer pre-season and really feel like I'm doing progress as a player. Obviously we have to adjust to what WTA gives us.

So that was the best way to go probably, I feel like.

Q. A question about playing in day session and night session. Some players enjoy playing in night session because the weather is cooler. Some players enjoy playing day decision because players practice in daytime. What is your preference? Could you share about the difference?

IGA SWIATEK: It depends in every place is different because sometimes the climate changes a lot. Here the weather is really nice during the day, not really hard on us. Yeah, for me for sure on this tournament I would say it's nicer to play day decision because my day and night rhythm don't get messed up.

I already played many night sessions this year, so I feel like I'm okay with playing day session. But obviously I will adjust to anything I need to do.

Yeah, sometimes there are places like Doha, for example, where the weather is totally different during the day and in the evening. In the evening it gets so humid, twice as much. So for sure it's different. The same in Indian Wells. I mean, in Indian Wells temperature changes.

Yeah, here, I don't know, I feel like I would feel comfortable during the day and night as well. I enjoy both, I guess.