AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/E. Navarro

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. You've reached the semifinals. A loss of just 14 games up to this point. Just talk to us about how you're feeling right now and the confidence going into the next round.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure I'm proud that I've been doing, you know, the same kind of work with good intensity and just pushing my opponents from the beginning of the matches.

For sure today was tougher than the score says, but I'm happy that I'm in the semis.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You mentioned the fact that Wim gave you a lot of support during the doping case in terms of mental strength, et cetera. But tennis-wise what was his biggest input or what did it change in your game since you work with him?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I wouldn't say mental strength because this is something that I need to have, you know. And, also, yeah, I mean, I'm happy that he just decided that he wants to work, and he let me, you know, be focused on tennis.

Especially having new coach, you need to also be ready for some changes. So I kept my mind open and busy with just working on court. That for sure helped.

Overall I think he's a pretty supportive guy with the experience of working with many players. So I think he understands and he knows what we deal with sometimes.

Q. Just jumping ahead, obviously we know it's going to be Madison in the next round. Just talk us through what particular strengths she brings to the court. I know you got a good 4-1 record against her. Just the one defeat. What do you need to do to counteract her strengths?

IGA SWIATEK: Last part of the question, I'll prepare today and tomorrow. You know, I wasn't really looking forward before, so now that I know my opponent, you know, we'll do the work with Wim and prepare the tactics.

Obviously, you know, she likes to also play intense and pretty fast. You know, and she's using her powers, especially on a faster hard court. I need to be ready for that and be proactive and also good in defense.

I guess in semis if you play against any opponent, they deserve to be there, so it's going to be tough no matter what, no matter who is on the other side of the net. So I'll do my best.

Q. Early in the second set there was that point with the double bounce there. What did you see and feel at your end? Did you perhaps after seeing a replay - well, before that - consider conceding the point?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, I didn't see the replay after this point because after the point I didn't look up for the screens because I wanted to stay focused and didn't want this point to stay in my head for longer period of time.

I wasn't sure if it was a double bounce or I hit it with my frame. It was hard to say because, like, I was full sprinting. I don't remember, like, even seeing the contact point. I don't know. Sometimes you don't really look when you hit the ball.

So I wasn't sure. I thought this is like the umpire's kind of job to call it, you know. I was also waiting for the VAR, but I didn't see it, so I just kind of proceed. I already focused on the next one.

Q. Because there was the technology there and there are the replays, do you think those should be reviewable in a different way than they are now? Emma couldn't do it because the point kept going. She hit the ball back, but...

IGA SWIATEK: I think it's the same with the challenges before we had electronic calling. It should be pretty smooth because it's like the same way of reacting. Also, like, stopping the point.

But, honestly, I never experienced yet my opponent or me using it, so I don't know yet.

Q. Just to clarify, Emma was told she couldn't review it because she didn't stop during the point.

IGA SWIATEK: Okay.

Q. Do you think that rule should be changed so at the end of the point the umpire can have a look at it just to get the right outcome?

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know. I never really thought about it deeper. I would have to analyze more.

Honestly, this is first time something like that happened to me, so I'm not sure. But I think they already had kind of a lot of time to think it through. So if there would be some better option, I think tennis would use it. We already had some, like, tense situations in other matches and also ATP last year. I guess the referees kind of think about it. It's their kind of job to make the proper rules.

Q. With the success that you've had going deeper in Grand Slams, how much more does that shape your confidence relaxing the nerves than maybe when you were younger at this stage?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly, I wasn't going so deep in Grand Slams so much, you know, except Roland Garros. For sure now I'm happy that I'm kind of playing my level here.

Last year my journey here finished at fourth and third round, so for sure I feel more confident now. When I was a junior, I remember I was, I mean, yeah, when I was junior, I was playing junior Grand Slams, and for sure the experience helped. I was aware what to expect later on.

When I was just a rookie, it was also different because I was just an underdog. I thought Grand Slams are my opportunity to maybe do a little bit more because sometimes you can get, like, easier match in a first round than on WTA where the draw is smaller.

Q. Iga, now in your box you have a coach who used to know you as an opponent. Now he's on your side. How is it going, this relationship with Wim?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure I think he's really experienced because of that, and he also knows what I should work on. I would be pretty angry if I wouldn't have the last slam I won because of Wim.

You know, Naomi also played amazing. So it was a tough one. But, yeah, for sure this is also, like, something that I thought about when we started working that he's pretty good tactically because I felt that on the court, you know, playing against Naomi, for example.

So, yeah, you know, even without this match, I would know that he's experienced because he has already a lot of titles. So yeah...

Q. You kind of mentioned Roland Garros as a place you first went deep at Grand Slams. Do you feel like you have in your career had a point to prove on other surfaces and the way you're playing at this tournament is, I think, this is probably the best you've played in Australia? Do you think you're proving that point?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure. This is something that I always wanted to improve. I know that every week is going to be different, a different story. But for sure this year I felt like I should just focus on work and kind of have the same mindset as on practices: just improving point by point. It has been working.

I mean, it's not like I need to prove it to other people. It's more that I need to kind of believe. I feel I believe more now.

Q. You talk a lot about playing by instinct, that when you are playing kind of at your best, you're being instinctual. When a new coach kind of comes in and so it's a different voice, how much does that impact, yeah, how you feel you're playing instinctually, I suppose?

IGA SWIATEK: I think it depends on the coach and what he says because, you know, it's not like Wim came and he told me to play in a way that I can't, you know (smiling).

I think, as I said, like before when I was describing how we started, I think working with him is more like an evolution instead of revolution.

I wasn't looking for anybody to turn my game, like, upside down and change some crazy things. I wanted to improve the things that were obviously improved for me and for him as well.

You know, it's always me who is making the decisions on the court. So for sure it's easier when you can use your instincts. When you overthink it, you know it's not going to go well, but sometimes it happens.

No, yeah, Wim, he didn't tell me anything to confuse me, so it's been great so far (smiling).

Q. Getting to this point of the tournament without dropping a set yet, it's very impressive, but yeah, sometimes the media is, like, looking around for words to describe that kind of play. Oftentimes they say things like 'ruthless'. I want to know what you think of that characterization and how you would describe your game?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, on tennis court you kind of need to be ruthless. Because 'ruthless' usually means that something negative also as well. But I think for me just focusing on myself and having the same kind of attitude no matter what the score is is important.

This is what I base my, like, strength on and my consistency and the way I just continue to do the good things, you know, I do on court.

Maybe looks ruthless, but it's not my goal to do that. I just want to win more and more games, and this is the effect I got for the past matches.

Q. You mentioned your results at other slams outside of Roland Garros. I'm curious just what feels different over the past few weeks in the way you've played and prepared compared to, you know, other slams when you didn't go as far as you wanted to?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, there's no way to, like, answer in one sentence because sometimes it's the draw, sometimes, I don't know, how tired I am, sometimes the stress level. It's always a different story and different journey.

These tournaments are long. Even if you start amazing, like, something can happen during the two weeks. I wouldn't say something feels super different. Probably, yeah, I feel like I'm relaxed and just focused on the right things. I don't have anything that is, like, disturbing me.

So, yeah, I just have the right mindset and attitude and right focus, and this is the base, I would say. Then I can play my tennis and not really think too much about other stuff. So it's a mix always.