An interview with:
IGA SWIATEK
THE MODERATOR: Iga, welcome become to Stuttgart. How does it feel to be back at the tournament but also back on clay?
IGA SWIATEK: Always great. I have really great memories from here. So being back always gives me a lot of positive energy. I really like this place. So I'm happy that, yeah, I can be here again.
Yeah, first tournament on clay, so obviously I'm excited. I love this surface. I'm adjusting to these conditions here because the clay, obviously it is a little bit different, it's synthetic. But I know it already, so day by day we're just working on getting ready.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Obviously the big news over the past few weeks is you added Francis to your team. What led to that partnership? As you were searching for a new coach, what were you looking for in that person?
IGA SWIATEK: Yeah, I mean, the process of changing coaches is for me always kind of tricky because I only did that twice in my life. So yeah, not easy decisions.
I'm really happy to start with Francis. I was basically looking for someone with a good eye, really technical, but also a person that is experienced enough to help me through some different kind of situations. I feel like Francisco lived through everything probably on tour.
Yeah, for now it's going really amazing. It's a start. We're still getting to know to each other. Yeah, I'm really excited. It was honestly a pretty fast process. I was able to find a new coach pretty fast, which is a positive thing because obviously when you do that in the middle of the season, it's nice to have some security in that, so I could already have some even practice period with Francis in Mallorca. It was really nice.
Q. About the couple of weeks in Mallorca...
IGA SWIATEK: Couple of days (smiling).
Q. How was the training process? Did you see any differences with your past training situations on clay? The presence of Rafael Nadal on court, if that was just one situation where you were training at the academy or if there is something more in the future?
IGA SWIATEK: My idea of coming to the academy appeared, like, two months ago. I wanted to change something in my preparation before clay, because obviously last clay season didn't really go out how I planned. I wanted to go to Mallorca because I knew the facilities there, I knew the court. I knew I was going to do a solid work there without any other distractions.
Yeah, I asked if it would be possible for him to come and maybe be some kind of inspiration, also hear some feedback from him. It was really a privilege to have him on the court.
I honestly didn't have many expectations because I know he's super busy and he has a lot of stuff to do, even though he always has different projects and everything. It's a real privilege. I was really honored he was able to be there these couple days.
Since then, I realized that I'm going to have this new coach situation. I also wanted to meet Francisco. I'm happy that they were there at the same time because it also adds even more value I think to the process.
But now I will continue with Francisco. He will be the person that takes care of the whole process. That's the plan for now, and no other plans right now.
Q. In Miami I think you were talking about you weren't playing well, having expectations for yourself. Now with this new partnership, have you reevaluated expectations? If so, what are they?
IGA SWIATEK: Obviously, if you already won so many titles, there are always going to be expectations from yourself and from the outside. I think my expectations were too high for the level I was presenting. I wasn't really playing well. So it was kind of heartbreaking. It is like a cold shower, you know? But I wouldn't say this is why, I don't know, I lost or something. On the other hand I many times had expectations, and my tennis could really be up to them, so...
Yeah, I felt like I needed to reset, for sure. I had some time in Poland to do that, like get my things together before starting to work on clay.
With Francis, it makes a lot of sense. I feel like we see things similar way. He really catches the things that I'm doing wrong quickly so I can improve them immediately instead of, like, staying in the wrong patterns or something.
For now on practices I've seen a lot of positive changes. Obviously, if I didn't do some stuff right for some months, it's not like you're going to wake up next day, do the right thing, it's going to automatically be there. I'm trying to give myself time. Francis also encourages me to do that.
That's why my expectations would be to just improve on the practice court, then maybe on matches, but really not be too harsh on myself, not judge too quickly, but really make it full process. Like people say, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. I would love to come to next tournaments and have this kind of mentality.
Q. Speaking with utmost respect for every person involved, in the statement you pointed out the other part of the team is not going to change.
IGA SWIATEK: I didn't understand.
Q. You just changed the coach, and the other part of the team was going to stay the same. You pointed out the other part of the team is going to stay. I wonder if that is some sort of loyalty, as they were with you for such a long time?
IGA SWIATEK: No, it was more for Polish media, which was super harsh to the whole team. There were a lot of, like, speculations. With one sentence I can basically cut them. I just did that.
In sports, if you want to go forward, obviously loyalty is great, but if something is not working, you need to react 'cause our careers are not long, you know? We don't have time to waste time.
Yeah, the work that I'm doing with Maciej and Daria, also me playing with my hitting partner for many, many years, I feel like it's working and it's a good process. So that's why I'm not changing the rest of the team.
In Poland, it was super chaotic with media, so I just wanted to get it out clear so fans can also know what's going on.
Q. You said you spent a few weeks back at home in Poland. In Doha you indicated you wanted to take more time and do things off the court. What did you do?
IGA SWIATEK: I was looking for a new coach, so not too much (smiling). This took up most of my time.
No, I mean, it's always good to come back to the place where your family is and your friends and everything. Obviously they can always come on tour and visit. On tour I'm trying to be really focused on the tournament. When I'm home, I can really just not think about that, do other stuff. Yeah, I had fun. But I was in the back of my head still, like, trying to figure out the coaching situation.
But honestly, for my whole stay in Poland, I was already super motivated to come back and practice, especially at Rafa's academy because I felt like I could really grind there. I really missed that. I was already in my head a little bit thinking ahead.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports