"Even in Miami, there were fans in the stands who probably drank the wrong drinks and were a bit disturbing" - Iga Swiatek on dealing with unexpected breaks at the WTA Finals
Iga Swiatek spoke about how she has previously dealt with unexpected breaks in matches, an experience which came in handy during her recent win over Caroline Garcia at the 2022 WTA Finals.
Iga Swiatek won her second straight match in the WTA Finals by defeating Garcia in straight sets on Thursday, securing the top spot in the Tracy Austin Group after losing only ten games in her first two matches. With her victory, Swiatek became the second player after Maria Sakkari to book her spot in the knockouts.
The 21-year-old held off six break points and broke Garcia four times on the night, recording her 66th win on tour this year in the process. Speaking at her press conference afterward, Swiatek touched upon how she dealt with an unexpected break in the match during the second set. The game was briefly stopped at 3-2, when one of the advertisements above the court malfunctioned.
Thankfully, the break was short, and the World No. 1 was able to catch her breath and concentrate on her serving after the match had resumed. Iga Swiatek recalled a similar situation that happened to her in Miami and commented on how she kept her concentration back then without letting the rowdy crowd distract her, using the same experience once again to get out of the situation in Texas.
"I already had similar situations. If only in Miami there were fans in the stands who probably drank inappropriate drinks and disturbed a bit (laughs). Then I proved to myself that I can concentrate in such moments. Here the break was short, I could catch my breath and concentrate on the service," she admitted.
"It would be demanding for me" - Iga Swiatek on the prospect of WTA Finals being held in Poland
In the same press conference, Iga Swiatek was asked what she would have felt like if the WTA Finals were held in her native Poland. The Pole stated that it would be mentally very demanding for her, and that she would have to spend four times more energy concentrating and focusing on what is happening on the court.
Regardless, Swiatek admitted that she would favor the decision to hold the WTA Finals in her home country if such a chance arose in the future.
In terms of sport, it would be demanding for me. I would have to spend four times more energy concentrating to focus on what is happening on the court," Swiatek said. "However, I am very much in favor of it. I have always wanted to promote tennis in Poland. I try to do it step by step."