BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 15, 2022

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/A. Kerber

4-6, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Another three sets, but another win. What was your assessment of the match?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure it was really hard playing against her. She's such an experienced player. It's never easy.

Truth be told, I wasn't really sure what my tactics should be, if I should be more aggressive or play more patient game. But at the end I think I made the right decision in right time, in right moments of the match. I'm pretty happy about that because in important, you know, moments in second and third, I was winning points. That's the most important thing.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You talked about tactics. How much is that decision you have to make something you talk about with Tomasz before the match and decide in advance?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, we talk about tactics, for sure, and I'm prepared. But you never know what you're going to get on court so you have to adjust and you have to kind of really observe what your opponent is doing.

I thought that Angie played much different than what she played on practice with me, what I was expecting. For sure, she wanted me to kind of be maybe distracted, like not sure of what's going on. She didn't play that high balls on our practice.

I felt like she wanted to use her experience and kind of trick me. But, I mean, I like that because it's like a new experience for me. You're not going to get that from many players because not many players have been on tour for such a long time.

I'm pretty proud of myself that I could win against such a smart player.

Q. You're getting asked a lot about the three-set matches. How tough is it to convince yourself after dropping the first set?

IGA SWIATEK: Right now when I won so many of these matches, it's not that hard because I just keep believing. I know that physically I'm really well-prepared. For sure if the match is going to be longer, it's going to go on my advantage.

Well, I'm not sure actually. Yeah, today before the match I talked with my team, I was like, I don't want to lose the first set again because it's getting pretty boring (smiling).

I mean, it doesn't really matter. You try to restart and kind of start from the beginning. Obviously you learn from that first set and you can use that. I think I'm doing that pretty well.

But for sure my goal is to win every set. On my next match, I'm going to be ready to win that first one. It's not like I'm doing it on purpose (smiling).

Q. How do you feel about your serve today?

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, well, it wasn't as solid as it was in my previous matches, I would say. On the other hand, if I was serving slower, Angie was not kind of using my power that much. If I was serving slower, I got more points, I would say. So it didn't really matter if I'm serving first serve or second.

I could feel the heat today. Sometimes I felt like I could be more dynamic during my movement, but I wasn't. I think that's the reason why I missed some serves.

Still I know I have a solid second serve, I can always lean on that. It's not something that going to cause me to panic or something, you know.

Q. You mentioned you needed to be patient in this match on court afterwards. What made you decide that you needed to be more patient? The aggressive mindset wasn't paying off early?

IGA SWIATEK: For sure. I felt like I had to finish her couple of times, to actually finish the rally. So it was really hard to play winners, especially in these conditions. If you're going to play too risky, you're just going to miss the court.

Yeah, I mean, I wanted to be patient because my first goal was to play in. Usually it comes naturally in other places. But here I don't feel that way. I kind of have to be more focused on just staying cool and just keeping the ball in and playing solid game.

Q. My question is not about today's match. I think you are quite open to talk about many subjects such as what's happening in Ukraine. The WTA, of course is the organization of this sport, the philosophy of this WTA is supporting human rights, gender equality. When you try to step up to talk about this kind of subjects, do you think you are encouraged by this history of WTA?

IGA SWIATEK: Not really, honestly. It's my choice and my personal views. Obviously I'm working for WTA, so, yeah, I mean, I see their posts or their statements.

But honestly if I'm doing my own statement, it's kind of separate thing. Yeah, basically, I mean, we all have our rights to say our own things and have our own opinions. I'm just using mine. It doesn't really matter for me what other companies are saying.

Obviously I'm pretty happy that WTA is getting involved because I think it's important, as you can see. But, yeah, I'm mostly going to try to have some more initiative after the tournament. It's kind of like my idea.

So I think we should obviously work with WTA, but also do our own thing because it's going to spread faster then, I guess.

Q. Have you read much of Polish history? Do you have any thoughts about the tumultuous eras that the Polish people have gone through?

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, I'm 20. I'm not an expert at history or politics. I don't want to get involved in that. I try to read a lot, I try to understand a lot. But I'm not going to talk about my views or my, I don't know, opinions on this matter because I think it's pretty delicate.

I want tennis to, I don't know, join people, not to separate them. Honestly I'm not going to be talking about that. Sorry.

Q. Looks like you have Madison Keys next. Can you tell us what to expect from that match?

IGA SWIATEK: Did she win already?

Q. Just now.

IGA SWIATEK: I played against her on clay. I don't know how much I can take from that match. It was in Rome. I remember she can play really flat and really fast, but on the other hand she has a great serve and she uses her height, and she can play a great kick.

I don't know really honestly. I just came off my fourth round match and I'm going to be preparing for that in the evening. Again, it's going to be a match against a really experienced player who has played so many times here. I got to be ready for everything.

Q. I wanted to ask about Daria, your relationship with her. It seems to be so effective and helpful for you. Your peers in the locker room ever ask you what it's like and consider doing something similar?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I mean, my friends are because usually, I mean, we're not that open to give our insights. Everybody has their own team and their own ways to get better.

Yeah, some of my friends are curious. I think it's pretty convenient for me that I found the proper person because it's not that easy. I can see that many people are, like, searching but it's really not that easy to get right people around you.

I think I'm really lucky that I have such a good psychologist and coach as well, conditioning coach, because, yeah, I think I have some kind of luck to get good people around me.

Yeah, that's all. I mean, they are -- I don't know if they're curious. You got to ask them.