INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 11, 2024

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/Y. Putintseva

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Iga, congrats on the win today.

IGA SWIATEK: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Can you talk us through the match.

IGA SWIATEK: I'm happy with the way I played, maybe besides this beginning of the second set. I'm happy I came back. I knew what I wanted to improve. At the end I'm happy that I finished in two sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously you were down in the second set. It flipped quite quickly. At what point did you start to feel comfortable? How did you manage to turn that around?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think it was all about my energy and my state at the time. I got a little bit distracted.

I just came back to how I played basically I think in the first set. It was enough for me to get the control back, so yeah...

Q. Yulia is a tough player for many top players. You have a great record against her. Haven't lost a set to her. Firstly, what do you think makes her tough, because she gave you a bit of a challenge today? Secondly, what do you think you do that reads her game very well? Do you read her dropshots better, et cetera?

IGA SWIATEK: I didn't hear the last part. I think I know what you asked. I'll try to answer (smiling).

Well, I think she's tough opponent because she's changing the rhythm a lot. She's also, as you could see today, playing differently. She was, like, two meters behind the baseline on the return, which she didn't do before. She can mix it up. She has a good touch. I think that's what makes her tricky.

It's easy to overpower when you play against her. I just wanted to stick to my 'solid game' and balance the risk and also know that there's no point sometimes to play too hard because she's going to use your power anyway. I think I can do that well. I've done that before when I played against her. Today, as well.

Q. You're the No. 1. All eyes are on Djokovic, Nadal. How do you explain it? Why is the attention of the people not on you?

IGA SWIATEK: Why what?

Q. The attention of people is not on you here in Rome. How do you explain it? Sorry for my question.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't know if that was a punch or not.

I think there is some attention on me, but I totally understand why Rafa and Novak, they have such a huge fan base. It's not like I'm jealous or something.

Well, it's Rafa's last tournament - not last, but last tournament in Rome possibly. I get why people are focusing on watching him.

And Novak, obviously he's the G.O.A.T. as well.

I don't understand this question, honestly.

Q. Last year you talked about how you kind of rejected the notion of defending points. You talked about how it's about achieving, making new achievements. How did your mentality shift and how did you change your perspective on that?

IGA SWIATEK: Since when?

Q. Last year.

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know. Honestly I remember last year at the beginning of the season I was pretty stressed. Last year, 2023? Sorry, too many years on tour (smiling). That's not true.

Last year... Oh, my God, my mind is blurry. I keep mixing up the years. 2023, oh, injuries. Last year I remember at that point I also struggled physically a little bit. I remember missing Miami and thinking that I need to catch up with points and everything.

I feel like I'm in a different place. I'm still focusing on the same things, but I remember last year I was more nervous and more stressed. I felt more pressure. This time I'm kind of using the way I feel to just enjoy everything more.

Q. Not related to the match, but would you say that the conditions between Madrid and Rome are more different or less different than Indian Wells and Miami?

IGA SWIATEK: When you started the question, I knew it was going to be about that (smiling).

Yeah, I think the difference is it's pretty much the same in terms of having to adjust and how different it is. Yeah, it's a good comparison, I would say.

Q. A Madrid question. Only two women have ever won Madrid and Rome in the same year, Safina and Serena. Is that something on your radar? Do you think it's possible to do any more with the new format, both of them being two weeks?

IGA SWIATEK: Winning next match is on my radar. As usual, taking everything step by step is the best way to go. There's still a long way. Yeah, I need to focus on what I need to focus on.

But obviously it's hard to win these tournaments, especially when you don't have time to really get used to the conditions if you play well in Madrid.

We'll see.

Q. Rafa was just brought up. He's currently playing against Hubie. Were you able to see some of the first set?

IGA SWIATEK: Only when I was answering questions on Tennis Channel. I wasn't really focused that much. Hopefully I'm going to finish soon and I'll watch a little bit.

Q. Another Rafa question. Do you remember the first time you ever saw him both in person and on TV?

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, on TV I don't. I remember I saw him playing on Jean-Bouin in Roland Garros 2017. So, yeah.

Q. Is that the video?

IGA SWIATEK: Yes. But I think it's 2017. Yeah, I think he played 2017. He didn't play 2016. That was my first Roland Garros. I was pretty sad that I had no one to cheer for.

Yeah, right, he didn't play 2016? Sorry if I got it wrong.

Yeah, I saw him practicing on Jean-Bouin. I remember he looked much bigger than on TV live. That's what I remember. I just watched him practice. I kind of wanted to take something from it.