AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2026

Iga Swiatek

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/A. Kalinskaya

6-1, 1-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Iga, just talk us through your thoughts on the match today. A lot of momentum changes. Tell us your thoughts.

IGA SWIATEK: Well, kind of just two changes of momentum, so it wasn't that weird, but honestly, I'm not surprised, because Anna can play a great game and great tennis.

She just attacked in second set, and maybe I could have started more, I don't know, intense or something. But, yeah, I did that in the third set, so I'm happy overall with the match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In your previous game against Bouzkova, it was much more about the serve, but today it was all about return. Was that a strategic change or just happen in court that you have to adjust?

IGA SWIATEK: Wait. Why it was more about the serve?

Q. I feel like with Bouzkova you got more aces in, and today you got very good returns but less effectiveness in your first serve.

IGA SWIATEK: I'm sorry, I don't know, honestly. It's too late for me to think. Also, I'm hungry.

But I felt maybe in the second set I dropped a level of my serve, so I wanted to, like, pick my spots in third set from the beginning, like, serve more proactively.

But I didn't feel that the match with Bouzkova was all about the serve. I feel like I was serving better than on my first round, but yeah, with Bouzkova, it was about the whole game.

Also, we played many long rallies, so I knew that even if I'm not going to win the point with the serve, I can also do that after. Here, like with Anna, you need to be proactive in first two balls, because when she's going to play fast and put pressure on you, she plays well. So I don't know what the match was about, but yeah. Sorry.

Q. The way you have reset in the third set looked very natural, but I know it's very hard to do that in general. I'm just wondering, for you, after so many matches and so many wins, is something like that still hard for you?

IGA SWIATEK: It totally depends on the match. Sometimes you know what you did wrong, and you just focus on one thing to improve, and you know your game can change or you know you can go one level up.

Sometimes it was more today I felt like I didn't do anything wrong in the second set. I just need to be ready in case she starts missing or she plays less aggressive, you know. So I focused on that.

And I wanted to, yeah, pick my spots on the serve, and the reset wasn't that hard, because it's not like I was in a bad place in the second set. Even though the score was kind of one-sided, I feel like until 4-1, every game could go both ways.

So it was kind of unlucky that it just went her way. Maybe she played better the important points, but we played, like, good level anyway.

Q. I'm wondering how much you're aware of your fans during a match. Do you think they actually help you play any better?

IGA SWIATEK: It depends how they cheer, because if it's, like, overall cheering and clapping, yeah, it's always nice, because you can get a lot of energy.

But if you get, like, coaching, which sometimes happens, or, like, you know, Play another ace or something, then it can be, like, weird or your focus can be ruined because of that.

I guess it depends how they cheer and also in what place I am, because I can really take a lot of positives from that, but there are days where it can also be annoying. I'm sorry for saying that, but I think every player have that.

Tennis is a game where it's, like, a lot of noise between the points, but then it's silent during the points. Suddenly if you hear something, it can really, like, trigger you.

It depends on the cheering. It depends on the day, also, how I feel. But, overall, I really appreciate the support, and Polish fans are great. It's great that, honestly, in every place in the world they are there, and even when I play against someone from, like, the country we are playing a tournament at, I feel like it's always kind of even in terms of the cheers and everything.

We'll see how it's going to be in the next match (smiling).

Q. You play an Australian qualifier, Maddy Inglis, next. I think you played her once maybe five years ago. Do you know much about her, and do you remember anything from that match?

IGA SWIATEK: I remember we played, but I don't remember how the match looked like. I thought it was more recent, honestly. So, for sure, I need to prepare tactically, and Wim will watch. I will watch maybe a little bit as well, because it's not often I play someone I don't really know that much, that well.

So, yeah, she has a great run, and for sure, you know, she didn't play today, so she's going to be fresh. I've got to, yeah, go for it, yeah.

Q. You will play against an Australian player. What are your expectations if you are talking about the crowd, because you mentioned it in your previous answers, as well?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I just mention it had because the question was about the fans. It's not like I have any bigger thoughts, you know. I'll be focused on the game.

Q. You mentioned that she's had this extra day off, but do you think that the extra day off outweighs the benefit of maybe having another match under your belt?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, honestly, it depends, because sometimes it can throw you out of the match rhythm, but sometimes if you're tired, it can save you, you know. I don't know what's her situation.

But I'm, like, I have my match rhythm, and I feel good playing every second day. That's what we're used to, so I'll be ready.

Q. This is just a fun question. I saw on Instagram you got to be a waitress and surprise some fans. Do you see yourself as a good actor? What was the experience like?

IGA SWIATEK: Well, I can't judge myself, you know. I hope I'm a good actress.

Yeah, I think I might be, but I was never -- I never got any tips or, like, I don't know how to do it properly, but when I need to sometimes, like, do something for the camera, I have no trouble with it.

Yeah, I really had fun. I even tried to raise my voice to sound differently, but I guess it would be hard for me to keep a straight face sometimes. So I don't know if I'm a good actress. That's a tough question.