UNITED CUP

January 6, 2024

Tomasz Wiktorowski

Iga Swiatek

Hubert Hurkacz

Team Poland

Press Conference

Team Poland - 3

Team France - 0

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Team Poland, for reaching the final of the United Cup. We'd like to hear from the captain. How proud are you of your two players?

CAPTAIN TOMASZ WIKTOROWSKI: Oh, I'm super proud. That was a really tough day in the office. We arrived from Perth two days ago, so that was quick adjustment for us to these courts.

Mannarino is very tough opponent always. Hubi had to run a lot and be very patient, and he did it amazing. And the same, big credit to Iga, because she put herself together after the first set, and she showed really, really good tennis in the second and the third. That was 2-Love. Also, I'm really happy about the mixed doubles.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congrats, Team. Iga, can you talk about the adjustments? Did you feel like you made big adjustments between the first set and second set, or was it small margins that turned things around?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I would say, yeah, mentally I knew to make a big adjustment because I was impatient, and sometimes I made bad decisions. I needed to focus a little bit more, because I felt like, I don't know, like, my mind was kind of going elsewhere.

Yeah, after the break after the first set, for sure, I came back, you know, more composed and focused. I'm really happy about that, because it's not, you know -- you know, matches like that, when you actually have to put even more work where you feel that you, you know -- oh, my God, like it's not natural, you know. So I'm pretty proud of myself today.

But tennis-wise, I would say, yeah, for sure, you know, first matches on different stadium, even though the surface is really similar, you know, much more similar than last year comparing Brisbane to here, I would say still I felt a little bit off the rhythm. So I just knew I need some time for my brain to kind of work on it, like, it's not something I have influence on, but for sure I needed to maybe, I don't know, just watch the ball more carefully because sometimes it was a little bit slower than in Perth.

Q. Slower?

IGA SWIATEK: Here? Yeah, little bit. But Caro plays fast. It evens out.

Q. Iga, I'm interested in how you feel, like, some of the work in the offseason that you were doing has been kind of going so far in the United Cup and leading into the Australian Open? And if you'd be able to talk a little bit about what some of those things were that you were changing in your game.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I played two volleys in today and also one drive volley (smiling). That's something that wasn't so often before.

This is something that we worked on, you know, me going forward a little bit and not always staying on the baseline. It's something that, you know, we have been working with the coach actually since we started, but now, you know, I'm taking more shots from the air.

So I feel like, you know, if we're going to get this done, I'm going to be a player that has more complete game, you know, than before. Yeah, for sure it's a step forward.

Q. Hubi, was that your best tennis so far on what you have played this year? And how much do you practice hitting around the net post?

HUBERT HURKACZ: I think so today definitely I feel like it was really good match from my side (smiling). I mean, Adrian is a really tricky opponent. He's really good competitor and is not to easy to play against him. I've got to stay patient, got to run a decent amount and battle out there. Yeah, happy with the performance.

Yeah, regarding practicing around the net post, almost every day try to do something (smiling). Yeah, finally there was opportunity, so I just, yeah, just went with it.

Q. Just a question for both of you. There is a potential the final would be the home team. How do you feel about that expectation? Will you be sticking around to watching it? What's your plan for this evening?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, the only difference is that the crowd may be louder, but on the other hand, today on my match with Caro, I don't know about Hubi's because I was watching from the screen, but on our singles it was loud because of the French audience anyway.

I mean, I'm able to focus, so I don't think it's going to matter. On the other hand, Australians usually play better on their home soil, so yeah, we'll see. I mean, you have to be ready anyway.

I don't want to kind of speculate. I'll be ready for whoever I'm going to play against.

HUBERT HURKACZ: Yeah, I mean, definitely Australians play some amazing tennis, especially here in Australia. Obviously around the world they play amazing tennis, but I would definitely say it gives them some extra energy, so it will be interesting tie today for Germany, but we'll be resting and chilling and watching them battle now.

Q. Iga, you were just explaining about the turnaround in the match today. What happens normally when you're in a situation where things can be tight initially and suddenly not just you but players at your level are just able to turn something on and run away with the match?

IGA SWIATEK: What do you mean, what happens?

Q. Is it like a switch going off? Because you see it so often where a match will be tight and suddenly a big name jumps ahead.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, it's not like we have influence on everything. You know, you can kind of try to focus more. Sometimes it's going to click or sometimes not, but yeah, sometimes -- you know, it was 6-1, 6-1, so I would say even though I got my level up, it was, you know, all these circumstances that led up to that score. I wouldn't say, like, I switched it and that was it, because I tried to switch it even in the first set, you know, but I just needed some time. And I guess if you're going to keep trying, you're never going to have regrets that you haven't done that.

So sometimes for me it happens when, after three points that I lose, today I needed to lose a set, which is not perfect, but still, the most important thing for me is that I came back.