I. SWIATEK/P. Badosa
6-3, 6-7, 6-1
Team Spain - 0
Team Poland - 2
THE MODERATOR: We will start with questions in English, so please raise your hands.
Q. Iga, congratulations. Just curious, how do you feel you played today and just what the past few days have been like since Riyadh?
IGA SWIATEK: I think at the beginning of the match in first set and at beginning of the second, I played probably the best quality since US Open. So I felt really kind of happy, and I'm, like, in a good place.
Then, you know, it got really tight in the second set, and for sure I got a bit nervous. I lost some points because of that. But the most important thing for me is in third I came back and was able to, you know, perform better tennis again.
I think, yeah, I was able to hold my serve, so when I broke Paula, I already had, you know, a big advantage. Yeah, I'm happy that we're through to the quarterfinals, because I think it's a huge thing for Poland. I'm happy that I could contribute to that.
Q. Congratulations. When you say it's the best you feel you have played since the US Open, was there anything specific that you were pleased with and anything maybe you have been working on with your new team that you felt you were incorporating into the match?
IGA SWIATEK: I would say it's a mix of, like, better focus and also, like, knowing that the ball that I play will go in, because in Riyadh, I felt for sure rusty. I was kind of surprised, because I thought that the rules didn't apply to me, that I'll be able to play my best tennis even though I didn't play matches for, like, two months or maybe less, I don't know.
So I thought, you know, I'm not going to feel that. But for sure when I went on court, it was much more tough to, I don't know, to get my mind together and get my tennis together, make right decisions tactically.
So I think today at the beginning I didn't feel that for the first time, so for sure it's a progress. Unfortunately I'm going to have preseason after this tournament (smiling), so I'm not going to be able to continue to progress that, but I have the whole season in 2025 to come back to my zone and my focus.
Q. You mentioned preseason. Wondering about preseason and what sort of things you will work on with Wim and really focus on to improve your game?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, we talked with Wim a lot about his idea of me on court, but, you know, before the Finals, it didn't really make sense to implement most of this stuff.
Well, I don't want to tell you. I'll surprise my opponents if it works, you know (smiling). But the preseason, for sure, it's going to be a bit shorter than usual because I'm here, you know. So still I need some rest, as well. So I'll probably have, like, three-and-a-half weeks. It's not perfect, but, you know, if you want to play Billie Jean King Cup Finals, you have to accept that, and, you know, I'm going to also have plenty of time on tour during the season to work on stuff with Wim. It's going to be exciting, for sure.
Q. Where will you be?
IGA SWIATEK: Poland.
Q. As this is your first experience of playing in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, what do you think of the venue, the atmosphere, and the way the event is run?
IGA SWIATEK: Oh. I think, you know, the practice area, it's perfect, like, we have space, we have good food quality and really amazing gym.
Here, next to the center court, it's more tricky, because basically center court is 10 minutes away from the practice site and 10 minutes away from food, from anything honestly. So it's tricky to make it work logistically. Even, like, the stringers are there, so during the match you need to be aware that the racquet is going to come a bit later because it needs to get there and get back here as well.
So I think this is, like, the only issue. Probably Davis Cup won't have that since they are going to play here and most of the stuff, they're going to have locker rooms and everything here. So, yeah, I'm not sure why we play in this smaller kind of stadium, but I know that they're still preparing for Davis Cup, so yeah.
But honestly, I think it's nice, and the city and the people will make it even better.
Q. What is it like talking about tennis with your team in English compared to in Polish as you're used to?
IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, but I mean, we'll have plenty of time to talk about it on WTA Tour. Let's talk about this tournament maybe.
Sorry. It's just, you know... We'll see each other in Australia. We'll talk about it then.
Fortunately in Polish team, I can speak Polish now this week.
Q. There was a nice moment at the end where you went over to Paula. Just wondering if you could let us in on kind of what that chat was about and your relationship with her.
IGA SWIATEK: Well, not really. It was, like, only between us. But I wanted to apologize for something that happened during the match. She was totally fine with it, like, probably was only in my head.
I just said that I'm happy that she's back and she's playing such good quality. I told her at the end that hopefully we're going to play Grand Slam final soon together.
Q. Iga, congrats. You made it through to quarterfinals playing again the Czech team. What do you think of the Czech team you're playing tomorrow?
IGA SWIATEK: Oh, well, I think Czech team, you know, they're great, you know. So for sure they proved it many times. You know, great singles players, great doubles players.
So for sure it's going to be a big challenge and it's going to be tough, but that's why we're here, to face these challenges. I don't know who is going to -- I'm probably going to play?
CAPTAIN DAWID CELT: Probably. We'll see.
IGA SWIATEK: I know who's gonna play the other match, but for sure me and Magda, we both need to recover physically after today. The rain delay kind of forced us to play day by day, like, we would have more time if we played as it was scheduled at the beginning, but, you know, this is kind of still on tour sometimes we also play day by day.
I'm happy that we won in singles, you know, 2-0, so we didn't really have to play doubles so we can be more fresh for tomorrow.
Q. I think there are high chances you're going to play against Noskova, playing her already four times. How do you remember those matches? Three of them came during this season, so I guess you know her very well?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, I remember for sure the match in Australian Open. It was kind of heartbreaking for me to lose this one.
Yeah, she's a really good player. She's reading the courts really well. Has a big serve and really, like, you know, smooth technique.
So I don't know how she plays now honestly, because I haven't seen her in a while, and I also wasn't on tour. So for sure tactically I need to kind of catch up. I remember also our match in Miami. Also it was pretty tight and intense. So for sure it's not going to be easy.
Q. We know about your love for Rafael Nadal, and he's arrived in town last night. Wondered if you'd bumped into him yet, if you'd seen him, and whether you're planning to stick around and maybe watch him?
IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, we actually met, I don't know, like, five minutes before my match, so I wasn't really in my talking mode (smiling).
But it's always nice to see Rafa, and I'm going to watch, you know, online his matches, because -- you know, I don't know. I have, like, mixed feelings, because I'm happy that he can start a new chapter, and I'm happy that also he can have a nice finish here on Davis Cup, a tournament that he loves and in Spain, you know.
But on the other hand, I really will miss watching him on court. Honestly, he was the only player I watched, so I don't know if I'm going to watch tennis at all now.
But, yeah, he's a huge inspiration. Yeah, I have mixed feelings, for sure.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports