Iga Swiatek: "We as tennis community should be together in doing every effort to make the Russian aggression stop"
Iga Swiatek continued her rallying support for Ukraine following her 2023 French Open triumph, saying that it's important for the tennis community to come together as one and do everything possible to curb the Russian aggression.
The World No. 1 secured her fourth Grand Slam title on Saturday, beating Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in an incredible final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
At her post-match press conference, Swiatek, who has professed solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion last year, reiterated her previous sentiments on the issue.
The World No. 1 asserted that she has a deep respect for Ukrainian athletes who continue to compete at the highest level despite the ongoing war in their country. She added that she didn't know if she could have been as strong as them had she been forced into a similar situation.
"The only thing I can kind of say is just to like repeat myself and my views on how we as tennis community, I don't know, should be kind of together in doing like every effort to make the Russian aggression stop," Iga Swiatek said.
"My support goes to all the Ukrainians, because I know that their situation isn't easy. Like if I would be in their shoes, I don't know if I would be able to compete, honestly. So I really, really respect them, and I want to kind of keep my focus on doing what's gonna be right for them. Yeah, that's all I can honestly say," she added.
Iga Swiatek continues to wear an Ukraine ribbon on her cap to show her support for the country, one of the few players on the tour to do so.
"I'm not using a lot of social media and not reading a lot" - Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek was also asked about her thoughts on the controversy regarding Aryna Sabalenka at the 2023 French Open. The Belarusian opted out of a couple press conferences after being cornered by an Ukrainian journalist over her support for her country's President Alexander Lukashenko.
The four-time Grand Slam champion admitted that she was not in the know about the intricate details of the matter, as she does not use social media a lot during tournaments to keep herself focussed.
"I kind of stay in my bubble. Honestly, the only thing I kind of do is just, you know, honestly just prepare for your questions, and I kind of just want to show good values. So I'm kind of like preparing to do that before my press conferences," Iga Swiatek said.
"But I'm not using a lot of social media and not reading a lot. So honestly, if I didn't have like briefs from my PR team, I wouldn't even sometimes know about this stuff.
"I know that it may be weird, because I should, you know, be aware what's going on, but it's like the best way for me to really be focused and do my job properly," she added.
However, the Pole said that she will try her best to catch up on the situation now that the competiton is over and that she will have more free time on her hands.