PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 20, 2024

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/I. Swiatek

6-3, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Iga, obviously not the result you would have wanted today, but just talk us through your thoughts on the match and especially what you thought Elena did really well today.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, she played better than me, obviously. It's hard right now for me to analyze what specifically was better. For sure she served better. I didn't serve well in the third set.

Yeah, so that's a shame, but at least I know what I can work on and be focused on that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Iga, a tough one today. But in terms of the match itself and, I mean, positives that you can take out of it, there was that 14-breakpoint stretch that you were saving in the middle of the match that was pretty remarkable. With the way that the first set panned out losing the string of games, how important is that to you in terms of a reaction to that to be that resilient in that moment?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, well, I think I reacted well, you know, the same way kind of in Doha, but in the third set my level got down a little bit again.

I mean, I'm always trying to find solutions. You know, I'm not kind of giving up. But still, it wasn't enough to win the whole match.

So for sure it's a positive thing that I was able to win the second set, but, you know, I'll work hard to be able to win these kind of matches anyway.

Q. It was tough right now. Sometimes can you see the sign before matches like this that you can understand that things can go wrong?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God. I mean, I wouldn't say they matter. There are kind of, you know, yeah, well, people can give meaning to some weird stuff, so I don't want to be this kind of person, for sure. I didn't see any signs today, so yeah.

Q. Just a question about your serve, especially in the first set, you were probably not very happy for example with the first-serve percentage, but I was wondering if that was a result of something that you weren't feeling very well with the serve movement or if was because Rybakina was putting a lot of pressure on the return?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, I don't think it was any of these cases. It was just, you know, this kind of day where I served worse. I'll try to be more consistent.

I wasn't feeling like a lot of pressure. Maybe a little bit in the third set, but still I think at the beginning the reason was kind of in me, not on the outside. Yeah, I doubted my serve a little bit in third set, and I'll try to not, like, have situations like that.

But for sure it wasn't easy to see, you know, her winning her service games pretty easily and me, like, struggling basically on every game.

I think at the end, you know, it also made a difference, but, you know, I was trying to get better. You know, maybe I just need more practicing or something.

Q. It's been rather the Poland Arena than the Porsche Arena, so for sure you can make some statement on the support of the Polish fans, and maybe there have been nice encounters, something special with some of the supporters here in Stuttgart I would be curious about?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure, I'm aware that always in the countries near Poland Polish people are going to come. It's amazing to see them.

But honestly I don't think it's only Polish people. Also, there are plenty of kids out there from I think, you know, local schools or something, and they were also cheering loud.

Yeah, the mix of that for sure makes it a great place to play and with great atmosphere, so I'm grateful for that.

Q. You have had some good wins against Elena, including this year, but you have also had some losses. What is it that Elena does that you think you find most tricky or difficult?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, there is no, like, one specific thing. I just think, you know, honestly probably me, Aryna, and her are the best players on tour, honestly. She had struggles with some injury, but every time she's healthy she is playing well.

So there are, you know, specific aspects of her game that are, you know, hard, but, you know, I wouldn't say there is, like, one specific. She's a good player. That's all.