CHINA OPEN

September 29, 2025

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/C. Osorio

6-0 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Iga, congratulations. Not the way you wanted to win, but how do you rate how you played in the first set?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure I'm sorry for Camila because she's always giving her 100%. She told me she got injured at the beginning of the match. It's always pretty sad to see that because we want to just compete. She wasn't able to.

But overall, like besides that, I feel like I played good in the first set and really used my game to push Camila, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. As you and Wim and the team look towards this section of the season, Asia and on to the Finals, what was kind of that conversation like in terms of what the focus was in particular over the next now two weeks of here and Wuhan?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think we're really taking it step by step because obviously when I came in Seoul, I was not practicing a lot after this foot thing, after the US Open. We just wanted to adjust to the new conditions and much slower court.

It doesn't make sense to, like, set particular goals when you still feel like you just need to get in the zone, get in the game. So that was the goal in Seoul. Yeah, the tournament, it was about adjusting because then you needed to adjust to the weather, as well, and playing two matches one day.

We came here, as well, just with like two practice days to feel the court. I think I kind of know how to play on the slower surfaces. I think the footwork is the key, really use the right opportunities to go in and play more aggressively.

But yeah, I would say with the fact that you kind of are going from place to place, not really having a lot of time to practice, the goal is always just to adjust at the beginning. Maybe towards later parts of the tournament, you see what's working or what's not, and you can clearly say, I can play like this or that.

Every place is different. As you know, we're not sitting and saying, Oh, we should win this, this, this, this, because it's not my style.

Q. You just used the word 'adjust' to getting into a rhythm with the conditions, et cetera. Twice in the year you're going to make these really strong trips: to Asia and then Australia. How long does it take you to adjust normally?

IGA SWIATEK: You mean twice a year we have a long trip?

Q. Yes. Essentially really long ones, coming to Asia, then obviously going down to Australia, as well.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, hmmm... How long does it take? It depends which surface you like because there are surfaces where you feel like you can use kind of more of your natural game, then you're going to adjust quicker.

Obviously, like, I don't know, before grass I feel like I need three more days than on clay. Sometimes you even need to start a tournament knowing you need to kind of figure it out during the match. There are some tactical things that you have been using for, I don't know, last two months. Here on these courts, they might not work. It depends.

Rhythm-wise, I don't know, to feel it naturally, maybe eight hours on the court. Tactical, I guess it depends on how sharp you are and your focus, as well. I think it varies.

Q. Just now I checked China social media. I saw a lot of your fans posted photos about the signature you signed after the game. They said you just signed a hundred to the fans. That's a lot. They are all very satisfied. How do you like the interactive way to Chinese fans? Is that your preferred way to contact with them? Is this a culture difference? What do you think of them comparing with other fans from other worlds?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure there's a big difference. I feel like they're much more enthusiastic and, like, positive. They give you their support no matter what's happening. Even if you say, Okay, I got to go, they still shout positive things to you, which maybe sometimes wouldn't happen in other countries.

Yeah, I really appreciate everything that they're doing for me. Also the gifts, they're really thoughtful, putting a lot of time into it.

Today the match was short. I wasn't feeling, like, super tired. I thought it would be nice to spend more time with them.

But yeah, there are moments, for example at the hotel, where I'm like, Guys, I'm going to be on-site, there is the place where I work, so I'm going to do some signatures there. There are some places where you want some privacy.

Overall the support is amazing. I think the biggest kind of that I get on the whole tour. I don't really know why, but people are really nice. I really appreciate that.

Maybe except Poland. But I'm not playing tournaments there.

Q. How important do you feel having two relatively quick matches early in this tournament has been after a quick turnaround coming from Seoul?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, it's always good to not spend too much time on the court when you want to be fresh. But I'm also ready to play longer matches.

For sure the last two days in Seoul were super intense. I'm happy that I have now more time off to just relax, maybe today even go see something for the first time in Beijing (smiling).

Yeah, but I don't really focus on that. I'm spending my time on the practice court anyway. If I would have longer matches, probably I would practice a bit less, then equal that a little bit.

Yeah, I can do both: long and short matches.

Q. You announced the formation of your foundation recently. How long of a process was that of ideating, thinking about what you want it to be, and how you landed on the formation of it as it exists now?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, my ideas, they just pop in my head, so it's pretty quick process. Actually for the whole thing to happen, it's more the work of my team, which I really appreciate 'cause they are the people that are experienced enough to tell me how everything should look like in terms of the formal things, but also practically.

Obviously we just started, so I'm going to probably be able to say a little bit more after a couple of months.

Yeah, I had this idea in 2022. I got to say I didn't really have time sometimes to make it happen. The initial plan was to start with the whole process last year, but what happened, I kind of had to postpone it.

Yeah, I'm really happy that I could finally do it. I think it's still pretty early looking at how old I am. I really want to have something to also work for in terms of like a bigger kind of thing, like helping someone or some athletes because I think it also gives you a little more perspective.

In this world, top players, we kind of achieved everything. It's also nice to remember where you came from and maybe help other athletes that are struggling with some stuff, using your experience, and also appreciating that you have this experience, these good people around you that helped you.

I think it will also help me a little bit. I am super excited for the whole thing. Yeah, like we're still getting a lot of portfolios. All these athletes are writing emails and making this form on my website to apply. I think the process of choosing is going to be pretty hard (smiling).

Yeah, I think it's great. We'll see how it goes.

Q. We have seen many retirements today. Is it because people are tired at the end of the season? How would you pick different tournaments in the second half of the year to avoid fatigue? We see Carlos also maybe experiencing injuries in Tokyo. What do you think of how to protect yourself at the end of the year to be more selective?

IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I think it's a smart question 'cause obviously the season is long. The second part of it I think people are more fatigued. For sure, unfortunately I think the Asian Swing is the hardest part because you feel like the season is going to finish soon, but you still need to push.

For me, like, I don't know yet how my career is going to look like in couple years. Maybe I will have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even though they are mandatory. Yeah, like WTA with all these mandatory rules, they made this pretty crazy for us.

I don't think any top player will actually be able to achieve this, for example, playing the six 500 tournaments. It's just impossible to squeeze it in the schedule.

But yeah, I think we have to be smart about it, not really unfortunately care about the rules and just think what's healthy for us. Yeah, it's tough.

The only thing I can do now, when I decided I'm going to play all these mandatory tournaments, is to just take care of my body, take care of the recovery. I have a good team around me also that is helping me with that. I'm experienced enough to know kind of what to do. So physically I am good.

But yeah, there are a lot of injuries. I think it is because the season is too long and too intense.