INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 15, 2022

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/O. Jabeur

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Iga, congratulations. You defended your title here in Rome. How do you feel right now?

IGA SWIATEK: Proud of myself. At the beginning of the tournament, I didn't know it would be possible to keep up the streak and with all the wins. I'm pretty happy I did it really step by step and I just focused on the right things because I think it led to all the success this week.

Yeah, for sure it was a long path for me since the beginning, but I'm really proud of myself and my team.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What are your feelings about winning Rome for the second time? What do you feel being in that stage?

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know honestly. It's pretty hard to describe it 'cause all these tournaments that I've won seem pretty surreal right now. I feel like just continuing the same things that I did before really was the key to that.

It's pretty weird because you may think every tournament, that it takes, I don't know, something more. But I'm pretty happy with my solid game. I was able to just play good and also improve during the tournament.

I remember how last year was tricky at the beginning. This year also was a little bit tricky to get used to the surface. So I'm just proud of myself, honestly. That's the only way I can describe it.

Q. Point of reaction from you on match point. A lot of emotion. Tell us what was going through your mind and why you felt that was the emotional reaction you needed.

IGA SWIATEK: I just felt huge relief. It's also not easy to play against Ons. I felt like every game was really tight. Yeah, she played great tennis, especially changing the rhythm in second set, it was pretty smart. I wanted to be even smarter.

Coming back from this Love-40 game in second set was, like, emotionally also tough. It was hard for me to, like, switch the modes to be more focused and play the same kind of tennis I played before.

Yeah, I felt relief for sure because the second set, it got to really physical game. At the end I was just pretty tired. I don't know, I'm just really happy that I could cope with all the pressure and expectations so well.

I think that was the reaction, because of that I had this reaction, yeah.

Q. The emotion that you showed, does it happen often, every time you win? Was today so special because of what you just said? To see somebody crying like you was quite impressive. We would think you are used to win all the time.

IGA SWIATEK: No, it's not something you can get used to. Every match is tough. Even though it may seem easy, it's never easy. It's always a lot of pressure, always a lot of preparation.

The minute we finish the match before, the next one is already starting in our heads. It's pretty tough on these tournaments where you play day by day.

Yeah, I have emotional reactions, but this one was probably the most emotional after winning the title. I mean, why not? It's like a week of tension and stress, like, finally letting go, yeah. For me it's okay.

Q. Tell us how you're going to handle all the expectations going into Paris. Does it help you won this tournament in Rome a year ago, maybe experienced some of those emotions and expectations a year ago?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly I'm going, like, do the same way I've done here, also on other tournaments. For sure it's going to be a little bit harder with all the breaks that we're going to have between matches. I also like the rhythm that we have on Grand Slams. Again, I'm going to try to do step by step, just think of the next match as I did on these tournaments.

If I'm going to treat it as any other tournament, I think it's going to be fine and I'm going to be able to keep it that way.

Q. When you talk about pressure, you said it a couple times, how much of that is external, knowing everyone is talking about you, the win streak, and how much is internal that you have this drive to do justice to what you think your abilities are?

IGA SWIATEK: For me was always internal before. Right now it's a little bit better 'cause I kind of accepted few things. It's easier for me right now to just not (indiscernible) sometimes as well, not overanalyze stuff.

I already know that I did some great stuff this season, so I feel like I can just play freely and not think I have to win some tournaments or I have to win some matches or I have to save some points.

This year, like, the pressure that I always put on myself, it's a little bit lower. For sure the expectations around are higher, but I never had a problem to cut it off and not to think about it.

Also I'm gaining experience at that. I think with more and more tournaments, it's going to get better and better for me to cope with all of that?

Q. Is it fun to win five titles in a row?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure (smiling). Yeah, I mean, it was a hard tournament honestly with a lot of, like, focus shifting up and down. On last two matches I felt really, really solid. I felt like my game was on point. It was, for sure, fun.

Q. How long will your winning streak last, in your opinion?

IGA SWIATEK: Good question. I think nobody knows the answer, so... Sorry.

Q. On the 4-2 game in the second set, can you talk through a little bit of what the challenge was that Ons was giving you in that game, and what was the key to digging out of it?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, I don't know how much it was her, like, change of rhythm because she started to play a lot of dropshots, just spreading me around on court in different directions than before. Like, if it was that or my energy got a little bit lower, it's hard for me to say.

But for sure after that long rally that we had, I felt like I'm ready to push even more and to make it even more physical. I kind of shifted my attitude from, Whoa, she's going to spread me around now, to, I'm going to get to every ball now and play every point till the last shot.

For me, like, I'm pretty angry at myself that it took me a few points to shift that attitude. But I wanted to really come back in that game where I served, not let her come back to the match. Also I'm proud of that.

Q. What did she say to you when you hugged at the net?

IGA SWIATEK: I think something about -- I think she told me not to cry or something. I told her, But your dropshots killed me (smiling).

Ons is really nice. She's giving that positive vibe on tour, so that's cool.

Q. You mentioned how your family wasn't here. I'm wondering if they're involved in the refugee crisis back in home in Poland and if any other players have accepted your offer to take the ribbons that you announced a few months ago?

IGA SWIATEK: I know that many players played with ribbons at the beginning of the war where all the fuss was a little bit more loud. I realized that some of them took them off, which is for me pretty weird because there is still war, there are people still suffering. I'm going to wear it until the situation is going to get better.

I don't get -- I mean, I get it. It's also how media works, how it fusses up, then goes a little bit down. Hopefully still players are going to be more supportive.

Yeah, I mean, my family is doing fine. For sure the war is affecting Poland a little bit more. It's something that I can't experience with them because I'm traveling all around Europe. I was in States for a long time when the war, you know, started.

So, yeah, I know it's tough. I know Polish people are supporting. I'm also going to support soon and do some initiative that is going to change something hopefully. That's also my goal. I know I've been talking about it for a long time, but I can make it official right now. I for sure want to show my support to Ukrainian people, as every Polish person is doing at home.

Q. Did you get any congratulations message from Ash Barty recently? Do you think sometimes, if she was around, everything would have been much more difficult? Does it happen to you or not? Would you like her to come back or she can stay where she is?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure, honestly, yes, I think it would be much, much harder with her on tour to win matches and tournaments. When she retired, I had the strong belief that she has the best tennis on tour and she was the one I really looked up to. She gave me a lot of motivation to, like, analyze my game and make it even better. For sure it would be harder. But there are reasons why she decided to stop. I think it's kind of -- I mean, it's her decision.

Honestly, for me, I completely understand the amount of pressure that is there. She was world No. 1 for such a long time, she has won many things that she can also feel satisfied. It's totally up to her if she's going to play or not.

For sure I miss her on tour because I also loved watching her play and how she mentally was always stronger than her opponents.

Yeah, I mean, what can I say?