WTA FINALS

November 15, 2021

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/P. Badosa

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Iga, can you share your thoughts on the match today.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think it was a really solid match from me. I'm pretty happy that I had a chance to show my tennis finally, overcome all these factors around, just play the game.

I really enjoyed myself today on court, which is really important for me. Also I hope Paula, she's going to have the best result here. I'm going to be cheering for sure tomorrow. I hope it doesn't going to change her confidence on this tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First experience at the WTA Finals playing this format, in these conditions. What do you think are the biggest and most important learnings you take out of this week in Guadalajara?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, that's a hard one.

For sure, you know, as I said before, I learned a lot about myself. It's going to be really important for me. I'm just going to maybe -- it doesn't really matter if it's the Finals or another tournament, my goal for next season is going to be more relaxed on court, kind of like trust myself with my game, not let the stress - I don't know - bother me so much, like accept it. I'm going to try to accept it a little bit more.

For sure this tournament was special. Playing three days with such high-quality players, it's hard. I hope my next time is going to be a little bit more lucky for me. I know in tennis you kind of have to wait for all of the factors around to kind of match, also your game to match it, so you can win the tournaments.

There is a lot to think about during these tournaments. I just hope my next Finals I'm going to be playing more solid from the beginning and the conditions are going to be a little bit more comfortable.

Q. What are you looking forward to most with respect to the very short off-season for you?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure I'm looking forward to my days off. I'm going to get a few of them at the beginning right now. Yeah, I just want to chill out, not think about tennis. I don't know, I want to live a different life for a week so I can really reset.

Then I know that pre-season is not going to be long, so I'm not going to get bored staying in one place, that's for sure. We're going to go to Australia soon.

I'm just looking forward to like, I don't know, talking with my team, to talking about my goals, doing some different stuff at home. It's going to be for sure relaxing for my mind.

Q. Your season was a solid season with over 50 matches play, second week at all four majors, top 10 finish, WTA Finals. Probably an impossible question to answer. What do you think is the biggest lesson you have learned over the course of the 2021 season?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God, really?

There is so much I learned. I mean, for sure I'm just going to talk about what I want to change maybe. I want me being on tour being, like, less energy-consuming so I can be more efficient, also have the power to be on the highest level for, I don't know, few years. I'm going to try to, like, change my attitude a little bit.

Well, okay, that's a hard question. I don't know. That's all I can give you right now. I'm going to I think reflect on everything and think about that. Maybe I'm going to be able to answer later. Maybe I'm going to do some QA on Instagram.

Q. Where do you see yourself as a player and person this time next year?

IGA SWIATEK: This time next year? Well, I would love to be as a player more, like, settled in everything, not going from being super confident to, hey, I'm new here, I don't really know what to do. Just trust myself a little bit more.

Like I said, I would love myself to be more efficient and more chilled out, just remember that tennis is not everything, kind of have more distance to everything.

Q. What have you worked mentally on the last two or three days? How important was for you to have your dad there with you in Mexico?

IGA SWIATEK: Mentally I was working pretty hard. I knew that the state I was after my first match wasn't really good for me. Yeah, I mean, I just wanted to get more fun on court, not to focus so much on winning, but just the process, basic shots, to feel that I can play well, focus on the little things, not overall result. Even after losing against Sabalenka, I was pretty happy with my performance, so it gave me a lot.

Yeah, I mean, having my dad, it was special for sure. That was his second tournament basically. I know he wants to catch up with all that happened with my tennis and with me over the last few years because he's been traveling with me when I was a junior, then I started traveling with coaches. I know it's also pretty emotional for him.

Yeah, I'm pretty happy that he also has this experience, that he can see this different side of me.

Q. You talked about mentally what you want to work on. What about in terms of shot-making, developing certain weapons? Anything you want to really focus on?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure having, like, more variety on court would be important for me. I don't know, we're going to work -- sorry.

I don't know yet because we haven't been talking about pre-season. For sure we're going to work hard for me to, like, have more options on court, also being able to adjust more to the situation that I have on the match.

I've lost few matches this year when I thought my opponent did something differently, then suddenly started winning. I want to also, like, be able to confuse my opponents.

Q. What is your opinion about the new generation of women in tennis, the girls that are in between 20, 25 years old?

IGA SWIATEK: That's a hard question.

I mean, what should I answer? I don't know. I'm just pretty happy that we have so many great players. I mean, it doesn't really matter what age they are. We are all showing like a great level. The girls that came here, you can see that they really, like, are motivated and they've had such a great season.

I'm pretty happy that we have good atmosphere on tour. Here I'm the youngest one. Sometimes I felt like I had little bit lack of experience or something. But really the other girls are so nice that you can feel like the WTA is like a family.

That's the only opinion I can give because I don't know if you mean like the atmosphere, the tennis, or rankings, but yeah.