THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/D. Collins

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Iga, nice win this afternoon. If you could sum up the match for us today.

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure it was a great match. I felt really good. I wanted to be kind of brave with my shots from the beginning. So yeah, I'm happy with the job that I've done, of the level of the game, because it was pretty consistent.

Yeah, it was a good day.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I heard you mention that you thought for the first time on the grass the ball was listening to you.

IGA SWIATEK: I mean, not today, but this season kind of.

Q. This grass season. I'm going to assume that the ball is not necessarily listening, but it's something that you are doing to the ball. Can you explain what you are doing and how you're speaking to it so that it's listening.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I don't know. I just do my job. I just play. Sometimes you feel like you can be more precise. You feel like you're aiming to that spot and not that spot. For sure, like, yeah, this year on grass I had some moments where I just felt comfortable and I didn't have to think much. It was just pretty smooth. This is basically what it means for me.

But not every day is like the same. I try not to expect, just try to adjust every day and be ready for anything.

Q. It's not a matter of hitting less hard or playing with flatter, technical changes that you think you've made?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, you kind of got to play, I guess, every player differently. Well, tactically? I mean, no, I just feel pretty solid. Yeah, today I had some tactics, and I could do it 100% because I was playing well.

But on the other match, it can be different, so yeah.

Q. We all know the mental side is so important. You're really strong in that area. Of the players that you've played or spoken with over the years, who would you say are the one or two who just have the greatest grasp of the game?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I always feel that the Czech girls have, like, great feeling of what's going to happen. They can kind of, I don't know, expect earlier. Sometimes they read the directions super well. It's not completely about their mental side.

But thanks for saying that about the mentality. If I lose twice, people are saying the opposite, you know (smiling)?

I for sure know that it's important part of the game. I think every top player is also working in that area right now. But I don't know, I don't want to, like, judge who has better mentality or worse mentality because everybody is different and everybody needs different also vibe on the court to perform well, so yeah.

Q. I know you hate hypothetical questions, but I'm going to ask you one. How would you feel if in like the closing stages of Grand Slams the women play best-of-five sets?

IGA SWIATEK: I don't know, I never tried that, so... Wait, but only at the end of the tournament?

Q. If they did it for the men and women. Basically would you want the opportunity to do that? Do you envy the men getting to do that or it's something you would not want to do?

IGA SWIATEK: I think with the way that everything is, like, faster and faster in our world right now, there's more probability that men's game is going to be faster rather than us suddenly playing five sets.

I think I would be good at it because I always feel like physically I can survive more and I would have more time sometimes to problem solve.

Honestly, it's super hypothetical. It's not going to happen anyway. I never thought of it. I think for the condition of the grass, sometimes it would be easier if the guys played three sets. I know that our sport has great traditions. I think also it's entertaining to see these five-set matches.

Honestly, I haven't thought about it, so I don't know.

Q. Did any part of you envy Carlos and Jannik in Paris, or were you glad you weren't playing five and a half hours?

IGA SWIATEK: No, I was glad (smiling).

Q. Tell us about the pasta and strawberries.

IGA SWIATEK: Why is it such a big thing? Everybody should eat that (smiling).

Q. Is it a Polish dish?

IGA SWIATEK: I think so. I think in summer kids are eating it a lot. I don't know. It's just a perfect mix of tastes, so...

It is a Polish thing, right?

Q. Yeah.

IGA SWIATEK: We have great strawberries in Poland, as well.

Q. Who has better strawberries, Poland or England?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, I think Poland. Because we have better climate for strawberries, right? Now Wimbledon is probably going to ban me from answering these questions (smiling).

No, the strawberries are great here, as well. They are different. But they are great, as well.

Q. Is it just pasta and strawberries? Is there anything else with it?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, like my dad adds, like, the cream. In Poland, it's like 80% fat cream. 18, not 80. He adds that and some sugar. I try to eat with yogurt to at least pretend that it's a good meal.

Q. Are there other fruits you eat pasta with? Just kidding.

IGA SWIATEK: No (smiling).

Q. It was a joke.

IGA SWIATEK: Why? I mean, pasta fits everything. But strawberries are the best one, I would say.

Q. The other thing I wanted to ask was: Do you have a sense of why you're more comfortable on the grass this year?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I just had more days of practice. I also was able to play in Bod Hamburg against the top players. Yeah, we came to Mallorca before playing in Bod Hamburg, and I practiced on the real grass instead of the grass we have at home, which isn't perfect. I think I just played more, like, hours of the quality game on grass this year.

Q. Before today but also even after what's happened in the last 10 minutes or so, what is it like being up there at a press conference having no idea what you're going to be asked about in the next question? Is it stressful? Is it fun? How do you handle the unexpected nature of that?

IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, I never mind it. Like, I wouldn't prepare before anyway if I knew the questions. Honestly, I think I'm better at improvising sometimes than sometimes when I have shoots with my sponsors and everything and I get a list of questions, I read the proposal of the answer or whatever. It doesn't come as natural as it would if I wouldn't read it.

So I don't mind. I like it that way. It's part of the job. But I don't feel any extra emotions.

Q. Doesn't make you nervous at all that you don't know what's coming?

IGA SWIATEK: No. But obviously you ask, like, tricky questions and you just look for something there for me saying something wrong. That makes me nervous (smiling).

But usually no.

Q. What are your thoughts about your next opponent and the challenge of that match?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, for sure it's going to be challenging. When she plays well, she can hit great serves, amazing winners. She has a great touch. She's really talented. So for sure there's a reason she's in the fourth round.

I haven't watched her matches because I'm not watching a lot. For sure I'm going to prepare tomorrow and I'll be ready. It's going to be a challenge, for sure.