MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 27, 2024

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/S. Cirstea

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: How was it out there today?

IGA SWIATEK: Really solid. I'm happy with my performance and especially with the way I kept my intensity from the beginning till the end.

I don't know. I felt kind of like peacefully and really confident.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. With the roof closed due to the rain this morning when you kind of woke up, was it easier to, I guess, go into that match slightly more relaxed or focused knowing that obviously the roof would eliminate a lot of the variables that sometimes you have to deal with on an outdoor match?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, yeah. The only thing I was kind of thinking about was wind, because sometimes you can feel it here on this court. But we still weren't sure actually before the match if the roof was going to be opened or closed. They only told us, like, 15 minutes before, and at that point they were sure, but before they were kind of looking for how the forecast looks like.

I was ready for both scenarios, but for sure it felt a little bit like Roland Garros 2020 because of the weather today, and I knew that I can play well in these conditions.

Q. What do you think makes you a great frontrunner and a player who is able to win dominantly and 6-1, 6-1 sets often?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think all the mental stuff, I'm always kind of trying to stay present and do the same work no matter what stage of the match I'm in.

So, yeah, I think that's the main thing, because honestly, that's the only thing that comes to my mind, like, why sometimes, you know, it's harder to finish or sometimes when you're leading you might lose your serve or something. It's only because you kind of lose your focus. So I just want to stay the same way.

Q. I saw you met Lindsey Vonn the other day. How well do you know her? Did you get a chance to talk to her? Is she someone you looked up to?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I look up to her. I mean, honestly, I didn't have a lot of athletes that I followed, but she was one of them when she skied. I also read her biography, and I found, like, huge inspiration from that.

So, yeah, we met a couple of times already, and we always talk for a longer time than I usually do (smiling). So I feel like for sure she's a person to talk to if I need advice or I just want to talk to somebody who is cool, because she's really cool (smiling).

Yeah, I mean, we have been actually kind of talking about also, you know, mental game here. She gave me some tips, so maybe she want to be part of the team (smiling).

But for sure you can feel like, I don't know, her power even with the way she talks, you know, and her confidence, so for sure this is something that I might learn from her.

Q. The second question is I feel like tennis these days is kind of making a bit of a crossover into pop culture with a movie like Challengers, or I watched Coco Gauff in an episode of an American show. There's quite a crossover. Celebrities are showing up more and more. How do you see that part? Are you aware of it? How important do you think it is for tennis to kind of make that crossover?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I am seeing it, but I didn't really notice that it's something new, because it's hard to, like, compare to the times where I wasn't really on tour.

So, yeah, but I watched Wimbledon, this move, when I was younger, so I kind of feel like there are some movies. Actually, you're a better person to judge because you're kind of following that and always making, you know, articles about it or some tweets. So if you say so, it must be true.

It's good that this sport is getting more popular. I think it's fun and pretty cool, and honestly, maybe it's sometimes harder to cheer for, like, one player, because if you're kind of cheering for the team, you always have this 100% certainty that the team is going to, you know, be there even if one player is going to be injured or whatever.

But I think tennis is nice, because it all depends on us. The pressure is big. Because it's an individual sport, I think it makes it more fun and, like, more exciting, yeah. So watch tennis (smiling).

Q. When you come back on clay from hard court, do you really have to work specifically to adjust, or is it that natural that you don't have to do it anymore, especially thinking that after Wimbledon from grass you have to go back to clay?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I would say for sure it's easier this way, going from hard to clay, but still, there are things to adjust, because honestly, if you've been playing one way for a couple of months, you need to kind of switch your mindset sometimes during the rallies or make different decisions.

So, yeah, you need time, for sure. Everybody needs it, I think. But also, I think the most important thing is not to, like, treat clay the same way everywhere, because honestly in Stuttgart it's different. Here it's much, much different than Rome and Paris. Rome is the slowest. You go from the fastest in Madrid to, like, the slowest in Rome and then to kind of average in Paris.

So there are things to adjust and to focus on for sure.

Q. Today could be Rafa's last match here in Madrid. A very solid player in clay, I would like to know how has he inspired your game if he has in any way?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't want to really predict any future and talk about his last match, because I think he's kind of focusing around this tournament like any other one. So I just hope he's going to play here as long as possible.

What was the...

Q. If he has inspired your game?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, well, for sure he was a huge inspiration, but I said "was" because when I was younger he was basically the only player I looked up to, but not because of his game on clay. More, you know, because of the way he is off the court, as well, and how he never gives up and also his mentality.

Q. What has growing up playing tennis on clay brought you and your game that you might not have if you played more on other surfaces growing up?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think basically my topspin. It's kind of like the feeling of the court, I would say. I can't really, you know, specifically say it's one thing or another besides the spin, but I don't know. I'm just more used to slower surfaces, and that's all. So it's easier.