I. SWIATEK/A. Riske
6-0, 6-2
THE MODERATOR: I could stand here all day and talk about your achievements, but most importantly you're through to the third round. How do you feel?
IGA SWIATEK: I'm pretty happy I just played a solid match, and I was continuing what I have done other tournaments. I'm pretty happy that I can still play here and play as any other tournament and have this kind of focus. Yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.
Q. You're coming across as being very confident in not just your play but as a person, as well. How much of it has changed for you really since becoming No. 1 and the comfort feeling you have being in that position?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think it's like a constant presence that I have since I started playing on the WTA, for sure. Just winning all these matches gave me a lot of confidence but I also knew that it could really press me down if I like don't adjust to it well.
Yeah, I feel like I'm using my new position to put more pressure on my opponents. Yeah, I'm pretty happy that I could convert it to a way that is really helpful. Yeah, I feel like my confidence is better.
Q. First I want to know, you just talked how your series gave you confidence. Did you change anything beforehand to make this step forward to become such a dominant player right now? Also, everybody knows that you admire Rafa Nadal, I mean, who doesn't. And when you grow up, did you take some notes of his playbook, like routines, always staying calm on the court so never throw your racquet away or something like this?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, I was throwing my racquet when I was a kid. Unfortunately Rafa didn't have as big influence, yeah, I can stop that. But I stopped when I was like 15, when I could actually reflect more and not play just with my emotions, you know.
Well, for sure, Rafa, he's a huge inspiration, but it's not like I was writing in a notebook exactly how he's playing and then trying to do the same, because, well, first of all, he's a man. It's pretty hard for us girls to play like men, because they have more power, for sure. But, you know, I always wanted to play topspin, so I think he influenced me in that way.
And the first question...
Q. If you did anything...
IGA SWIATEK: So I think basically I changed some things, like I started being more aggressive and trying to be more proactive on court. That's something that my coach really helped me to do.
But also, I think all the work we have been doing, even last season, it finally clicked somehow. You know, last season it was a year for me where I really gained so much experience. This year I feel like I'm using it the right way. I have this experience already, and I can just move forward.
So I think it's, you know, the physical work I have been doing but also with my psychologist, I think it's the work of the whole team as well. I'm pretty glad that it clicks right now.
Q. You beat Alison Riske today. Do you think you play your best tennis when you take lots of risks on the court, or when you take no risks at all? How much of a risk would it be for me to bet my house on you winning Roland Garros this year?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, I think you never know in tennis (smiling). Yeah, maybe ask Alison, because that's her surname.
Basically, well, I think I play the best when I'm balancing the risk -- oh, my God -- and I'm like kind of choosing in what moments I should, you know, go forward and in what moments I should be more solid and just maybe stay at the baseline.
Yeah, managing the risk, I would say, it's the most important thing.
Q. I think you have won the last 44 of the last 45 sets that you have played. Talking about mental aspect of your game and your progression recently, are you mentally ready to face the fact that you may lose one set one of these days? How do you think you're going to react? Are you prepared for this? Don't you fear that it might throw you off balance?
IGA SWIATEK: No, I'm ready for it, honestly. Well, I was saying from the beginning that for sure I'm going to reach a point where I'm going to lose a match, and it's pretty normal, you know. I have been losing matches in tennis for a long time. For sure the things we are doing right now are pretty extraordinary but I know in tennis that only one person wins at the end.
I will be okay with that. For sure it's not fun to lose, but I think it wouldn't be different than any other loss that I had, you know, in my career.
Q. We sort of had a reminder today that COVID is still kicking around because Barbora has withdrawn from the doubles because it turns out she's got COVID. There's one or two other potentials flying around. I want to know if it's something you still think about in how you plan your days and weeks around tournaments. Are you still cautious? Is it still a concern at points?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, it is for -- like, for sure, all the routines in terms of wearing masks have changed on tournaments, so right now we are more kind of relaxed, I think.
But still, yeah, I have in the back of my mind that it may be flying around. But, you know, I'm vaccinated and I'm taking care of myself. I feel like my immunity is okay. So hopefully, even though it is somewhere, that I'm going to be good.
But, you know, I feel pretty lucky that I didn't have any story like that since the beginning of pandemic, basically.
Q. I know you've got the WTA, you have journalists, everyone kind of counting your run of 30 wins. I just wonder, are you keeping track in any way? Have you got it in a notepad, a calendar on the wall or something you're notching them off? Weird question, but I wonder if you're keeping track?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, not really. I know how many matches I have won in a row, because you keep reminding me, basically. But I don't keep track. I'm not like noting or something. I just try to come back to these matches to get experience from them. But that's the only reason why I come back to them.
Q. How was Versailles?
IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God, it was perfect. That was like literally like one of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life. Yeah.
Q. What made you want to go there sort of midtournament, between matches? What did you get out of the experience?
IGA SWIATEK: I had two days off so it was fine for me to walk a little bit. Yeah, I just felt it was the perfect timing because I never get a chance to see something besides Eiffel Tower and Louvre in Paris so I wanted to go somewhere else. Oh, my God, really, that was great. If you've never been, you should.
Q. Your cellphone, how do you use your social media in everyday life? How do you deal with all the hates which is on it every day?
IGA SWIATEK: Well, this season actually I'm using it less, for sure. I'm using it after matches when I know basically that I can kind of not be focused on tennis. But before a match I'm trying not to do that, and before a match, I'm really, it's easy for me to cut off all that stuff.
But my social media, they look pretty nice, because I just follow not many actually accounts that they are talking about me, so I can kind of really relax when I'm on social media.
But during a tournament, it's my time on social media is limited. It's the best way for me to like keep being focused.
Q. On court you mentioned your symmetry obsession, and apparently you like right angles and things. How far does that go in terms of how exacting you are? Are you someone who sees a book crooked on the table and just has to fix it?
IGA SWIATEK: Oh, it's not that bad.
Q. How much does that influence how you go about your tennis?
IGA SWIATEK: Honestly, it's pretty weird, because I have always a mess, so it's impossible for me to keep everything symmetrical. But I enjoy looking at things that are symmetrical. I like tennis court because of that.
Maybe if I have a practice, I like to have like approximately the same amount of, you know, forehand crosscourt as backhand crosscourt on a practice. Yeah, it's not like superstition or something.
Q. Going back to Nadal, would you like to play mixed doubles with him, or would you dare to ask him?
IGA SWIATEK: Oh, my God. I would love to play mixed doubles with Rafa. I think it would be really great experience. But when was the last time he played mixed doubles?
Q. (Question off microphone.)
IGA SWIATEK: I want him to be focused on singles.
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