DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 18, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/V. Azarenka

6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Iga, congratulations on your opening win.

IGA SWIATEK: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Can you describe your thoughts on the match.

IGA SWIATEK: For sure I'm happy we were able to play today and I finished it pretty quickly because the schedule is tight.

But yeah, playing against Vika, you never know what she's going to bring. But I was ready to play my game and I'm happy that I was so solid.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The long break due to the rain, what was running through your mind? Match prep or unwind, relax?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, at the beginning first, like, three or four hours, I was just staying kind of pumped and being ready to play any time. Second set of Jasmine's match was pretty tight. Then I realized there's no point to keep doing that, and I was pretty relaxed.

I just tried to kill time, not really think too much about the match.

Q. I'm doing a bit of a deep dive on supplements. Some players say they don't use them at all. A lot of players say that they can't live without them. Over your career, because you broke through at 19, compared to then and now, how has your view on supplements changed? Do you rely on them more? Are you nerdy about it or you let your physio take care of it?

IGA SWIATEK: No, I take care of everything. It's my responsibility to do that. I think they're kind of necessary to perform well because it's just much easier to get injured when your body is not fueled in a proper way.

Yeah, it's just a matter of picking them wisely, doing research in terms of which ones have certificate and are tested.

But since 2019 I've been kind of taking the same supplements until my case. So now I'm kind of, I don't know, changing a bit, but not too much because as you can see I've been the one that physically could perform really well in tournaments. So yeah...

Q. Is it difficult finding everything you need that is certified?

IGA SWIATEK: No. No, it's not, I would say.

Q. I know you read a lot.

IGA SWIATEK: How do you know that? What do you mean?

Q. I'm curious the most common way in which you find new books to read.

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, read. Oh, my God. I was so confused (laughter).

Q. Do people recommend books to you? Do you research?

IGA SWIATEK: Mostly we have some friends that are also, like, journalists in Poland, knowing a lot of books. I know people that read books and they recommend me stuff. Also on tour there are some girls that also read. Actually like past month I was able to ask them for recommendations. So it's a mix kind of, yeah. But my close friends are not reading a lot because they are, like, studying, so they're not helpful.

Q. What is the best book another player has recommended to you?

IGA SWIATEK: I've read, I don't know if the English title is the same, Bubble, fantasy book about students. It's kind of fun.

Q. From which player?

IGA SWIATEK: I don't want to spoil it because I still need to ask her for some more. I don't want her to get pressure (smiling).

Q. Your game today, talk us through the focus. 6-Love in the first set. What was in your mind? You just want to get through as quick as possible?

IGA SWIATEK: I didn't want to rush it obviously. There's no point to do that. You just need to stay focused and remember what worked, honestly, not think about the score because it may make you, like, to lose. It may cause you to lose your focus. I just wanted to keep my intensity and keep pushing.

Q. Today Dubai celebrated the 25th anniversary of the WTA event. How do you see the tournament has evolved? What is your take about playing in Dubai?

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, since I started playing here, I don't think it has evolved much. But I love playing here anyway. Yeah, it's a nice tournament, for sure.

Q. Back to the books. Have you ever been in a situation where you read a book that's too thought-provoking? Do you avoid a thought-provoking book while you're playing?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure. I'm doing that a lot. I'm only reading easy stuff because of that basically. Sometimes I would love to have time to read something that is more complicated, I don't know, philosophical. Yeah, I just need to focus on my game.

I'm a person that over-thinks stuff. If I read something that is too hard, you can be sure I'm going to have some sleepless nights. I need to avoid that during the tournament, for sure.

Q. Do you have tips for not over-thinking, since you keep saying that about yourself? Have you been given advice?

IGA SWIATEK: I think every person needs something different. It's not like one tip is going to work for, yeah, everyone.

But I don't know. Usually I over-think when I'm not sure of the decision. I also ask the close people around me for advice and just go for it. Like at the end you'll need to make some kind of decision about things.

If you have smart people around you who are professionals at, like, what they do, it's easier to just listen to their advice.

Also, even though, I don't know, I should be the 'boss' on my team, which is kind of tricky, and I have my own business, I also have people that I really trust. It's nice to have that because year by year I have more and more decisions to make, for sure.

Q. On the books, given that you have such a huge fan following, you're a great influencer amongst youngsters, any three top books you would recommend?

IGA SWIATEK: I was always fan of Ken Follett. I still am. I need to eat (smiling) -- read his books again because I read them when I was 16. I need to see if I still love them. I'm sure I do. I mean, the newest one I read, what, last year I think. So, yeah, I still love them. Sorry.

And the others, when I was a teenager, my favorite books were The Hunger Games series. I would recommend these for, like, young adults.

And what else? I mean, there are many. But now my mind is blank. Lessons in Chemistry were nice. Oh, my God, I don't know. I'll make a list. I'll post it somewhere. But now, sorry, I'm thinking too much about tennis.