ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/E. Rybakina

1-6, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Iga, congratulations. An incredible victory out there today. What would you say were some of the keys to turning that match around after dropping the first set?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think in second set I started returning more second serves in -- I mean first serves in. That gave me opportunity to just play some more balls in. And yeah, for sure giving myself more time was the key because Elena really played an amazing pace and super fast, so I need to adjust to that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. That was a big celebration at the end. Given the last couple of months, especially on clay, what does this win mean to you?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, it means a lot. I think I needed that kind of win to like feel these feelings that I'm able to win under pressure, and even if it's not going the right way, you know, still turn the match around to win it.

For sure it's a great confirmation for me. Yeah, I for sure wanted to have a match like that. Obviously it's great to also have full control over the match, but against great players, it's not always going to be possible. I'm happy that I fought, and I also problem-solved on court.

Q. On your return of serve, it looked like you took a few steps back to give yourself more time, as you said. I'm curious, what is that like doing it, because I know you're someone that wants to be closer to the baseline and take it early? What did it feel like to give yourself more time?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I mean, I've been practicing that a little bit. Wim, it was his plan to kind of convince me sometimes to try it out, but I never really thought that -- I wasn't sure if that's my thing, you know, because I remember a few years back, when I started being more aggressive, I started winning more.

I think girls are serving faster now, and everybody is developing. There are some limits to what you can react to, you know. I think the coaching actually really helped me today, because I wouldn't come up with this myself. Even though I practice it a little bit, it's still like a weird thing for me to do.

But for sure it helped. Yeah, as I said, it gave me more time to just play back some balls.

Q. You touched a bit on it there. You talked about we're used to seeing you win often very comfortably or comfortable score lines anyway. Today was so the opposite of that. I wonder how different the kind of feelings of satisfaction that you feel now are compared to after a more comfortable-seeming win and whether that gives you more confidence for the rest of the tournament?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, as I said, it's a great confirmation for me that I can handle the pressure and everything, but honestly, I wasn't expecting to have an easy score against Elena. I also had an easy score against her, but losing, you know, because she's a great player.

So for sure that wasn't something that I even considered today. Yeah, no matter what the score is, I'm going to just try to play the best tennis possible any minute. It doesn't really matter, honestly, but for sure, as I said, it's great to overcome some challenges during the match.

Q. There was a remarkable moment towards the end of the third set when you thought you'd broken, she served a double fault, you both walked to the chair, and the umpire came down and said the serve was in. Can you describe how you deal with a moment like that? Because that obviously is the sum of mental strength.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I wasn't overthinking it. When I came close, yeah, like, the ball seemed like it touched the line. Elena, I don't think she asked for the umpire's opinion, but he obviously needs to check if he has doubts.

So for sure I felt like it's over a little bit, but on the other hand, I just refocused immediately. It wasn't such a big deal for me. I just kind of -- I was ready for next points. I didn't have any -- it's not like I did something wrong or I missed something to overthink it.

It was more just a situation and it passed, and I was ready for another ball anyway. Like I had nothing to do with this anyway, like no influence or anything like that, so I just moved on.

Q. I'm curious, Iga, how much do you enjoy when you are in like a three-set battle like that and it's late and it's tight and it can go either way? Are you having fun in those moments?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I do, unless I play bad, and that's the reason there are three sets, you know. But I didn't feel like I played bad today. I felt like we both played great, so I enjoyed this.

Q. How do you keep your head in it when things start this badly, you lose eight of the first nine games in the match, 6-1, 2-0. There's a men's player who was saying he lost the first two sets of his match, and he was thinking what time to get flights, when to get out of Paris, that kind of thing. How do you keep the positivity and the focus and the belief when, on the scoreboard, things look bleak?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly it's not like I'm super positive because I know what's going on, and I also know that it might be hard, but it doesn't change the fact that I still, like, fight for every ball.

I'm also aware that and I also feel that when I play and I have this kind of scoreline, that it's not so easy to keep this level. So I just know that I need to be ready when the opportunity arrives and if she's going to let me back a little bit, or if I'm going to change something to actually be able to play a little bit more of my game, then I need to have my head clear enough to use it and to be there, you know. So that's it.

That's why, yeah, I just kept playing, and that's it. I was already feeling pretty bad. I kind of accepted that the match can -- I can lose it, but it didn't change the fact that I wanted to fight for it anyway.

Q. You have now 25 wins here in a row here in Roland Garros. The record is Chris Evert, 29. How this mark is important for you?

IGA SWIATEK: I had no idea about it, so...

Q. Forgive me for focusing on one aspect of the game today, but it's an amazing match. One service game where you came up with three double faults in a very short space of time. I'm wondering if that's happened to you before in a single game and how you'll be perhaps approaching that aspect of your game for the rest of this week?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I don't think that happened before, but honestly, these serves were -- like, I went for it. They were out, but there were kind of -- like I committed to them. Maybe I wanted to play them too good even, rather than making some safer option.

So it's not like I was super tight or I didn't work with myself to make them in. It was just a matter of taking the risk, and I think, honestly, these were small outs. So, on the other hand, if this ball would be one centimeter the other side, it would be a great second serve.

So I just tried to move on, and honestly, I'm not going to think about that. Maybe I'm going to adjust a little bit balance between risk and trying to do something, you know.

Q. Your forehand was firing today. I think 25 winners. How did it feel on court? And how important is it going forward, specifically in this tournament and the topspin you have to get it firing like this?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I haven't noticed that I made so many winners from my forehand, but for sure, I know it's a weapon. I like it on clay. I think I can do a lot both crosscourt and down the line.

I'm happy that I used it today, and for sure, it's a shot that I use to kind of lead in the points, so I'm glad it worked.