ROLAND GARROS

May 23, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Iga, welcome back as defending champion to Roland Garros. You have been here a while so far here on the clay in Paris. How have your preparations been this week?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, we came in a bit earlier to practice, you know, and to already be here, because I love this place. For sure I'm happy to be back. Everyone knows I have good memories from last year, so I'm trying to enjoy it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You mentioned at the draw yesterday sort of the up-and-down results. How has your mentality been, sort of recovering from what I know you felt you experienced as a disappointing loss in Rome? Where would you sort of characterize where your head is at this point?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure after Rome, I had a lot of time to, like, think about how I played and what my attitude was. So for sure, you know, I focused on changing some stuff, and, you know, also having more intensity, because I feel like I'm not, you know, starting the match as well and then obviously, you know, I got tight a little bit when I played with Danielle.

But yeah, these are things that any athlete, you know, needs to work on. I would say sometimes it's easier; sometimes it's harder. I got to the point where I knew I needed to change something in my attitude and maybe get a little bit more energetic before the matches.

So yeah, I think just, you know, coming to that conclusion and accepting it and understanding it helped a lot, but for sure, you know, the main work I will have to do on matches now to change that a little bit. But on the practice court I have been playing great. My tennis is good, you know, so just need to do that on the match.

Q. You just were talking about sort of mindset changes. Are there strategic or tactical things that you think you could have done better, or you'd like to change moving into this tournament?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, it's not that complicated. You know, strategy and tactical, you're working with yourself. It's not like you have tactics, you know, but for sure, like, I want to be more positive about what I'm doing and not focused too much on the mistakes a little bit and kind of just go for it, be more brave.

Yeah, we'll see.

Q. When you come back to this place, is it the kind of feel on the court, is it everything around it? You must have so many positive associations. What are the things that kind of give you a lift about being back here?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, everything. I love playing tennis here. I feel like just good here, you know. And off the court, it really feels like home. I have my places and my routines.

It's just fun, you know. So I would say all of it. I just like coming back here (smiling).

Q. People talk about the conditions here changing a lot. Last year the first week was so wet and damp, whatever. How do you find it? You seem to navigate that okay, whether it's cold or hot, you seem to have found a way of working it out.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I mean, last year in the second round, it wasn't that smooth as you describe it. But I feel like I'm a good player in terms of adjusting. I know already what to do regarding the conditions, whether it's hot or, you know, cold and humid.

So it all depends. I don't know how it's going to be this year, but it might be up and down, as well, with the rain. So we'll have to just kind of react quickly, no point to overthink it, yeah.

Q. (Question about Roland Garros conditions.)

IGA SWIATEK: That's a hard question, actually, because the first one I won, it was obviously colder, the balls got heavy. It was also wet, it was raining all the time basically.

But lately, you know, I felt like in hot conditions, also my topspin is jumping a little bit higher. It's hard to choose. I think I like both. I think, yeah, it's all about adjusting, and if I adjust well, I can play in both.

Q. Do you have a favorite place in Roland Garros, some spot that you especially like on the grounds that has particularly happy associations or history? A favorite little place?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, it's hard to pick one. It's not like I can go out there and just walk around peacefully. But earlier, you know, when I was I wasn't that popular here. I think the whole way to Simonne Mathieu and Simonne Mathieu courts, when they built it, I was just amazed and I fell in love with it immediately.

I only played, like, two matches there, but it was super fun and it was beautiful. The botanical gardens makes it all super special, and no other grand slam has something like that. It's amazing.

Q. I know you're busy here, but I wonder if you have the time to watch Rafa's ceremony on Sunday, and if you could reflect about his presence here at the tournament, and you getting to know him a little bit, how much that has meant to you in general?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I really want to watch it. I'll see what the schedule looks like for Monday, you know, if I'm going to play on Monday and everything. But I need to be aware that for sure I'm going to cry (smiling).

So yeah, we need to plan it wisely. I would love to be there, because we should all kind of get together and celebrate Rafa and what he did for our sport and what kind of inspiration he was and still is.

Yeah, like, it means a lot to me, so I would love to be there, but we'll see about the schedule.

Q. Have you seen the Lego art at the tournament this year?

IGA SWIATEK: No, I haven't. Where is it?

Q. Outside of Chatrier. Of one former champion.

IGA SWIATEK: Oh, I haven't.

Q. I will give you directions.

IGA SWIATEK: Okay. Thanks. Is it like next to the sponsor booths??

Q. This corner of the stadium, basically. Outside of the stadium.

IGA SWIATEK: Okay. Let's talk after. (Laughter.)

Q. Did you get a lift just coming here, emotional lift coming here? Get a good feeling?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, but, you know, it's not -- what do you mean? I feel good overall, so maybe I played bad some matches, but it's not like I need so much of emotional lift, like, but for sure it's nice to come here.

Did you get an emotional lift? (Laughter.)

Q. I haven't won four times here, so, you know, just another tournament for me.

IGA SWIATEK: I'm sorry you're not lifted.

Q. You mentioned a few times this spring about keeping positive and maybe not being a perfectionist. Can you talk a little bit about maybe your experience with that and how it's coming along? Are you making progress in that department? Why is it so important for you?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't think it's possible for not being a perfectionist, but for sure there are ways to control it a bit more.

Yeah, but lately, when I made some mistakes on the court, I focused on them a little bit too much. I thought I'm working on them, but it was more like anchoring them and I needed to realize that by myself, even though my team kind of told me that it's happening. I don't know, I just thought that I'm working on it, and that's the way to do it.

Yeah, for sure, the perfectionist has been little bit harder past weeks, but it's not the first time, honestly. It's just the first time I'm probably speaking so much about it, because everybody asks me, so I'm just working on it. We'll see. It's a constant process.