Swiatek and her encounter with Serena: "She gave me a positive boost"

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Iga Swiatek had a little scare in the first round of the US Open 2024, a minimal wake-up call that helped her resolve her next two matches in a much more solid way. With a spot in the round of 16 already secured, the Polish player experienced a very special moment yesterday before her match against Pavlyuchenkova. While she was in the locker room getting ready for the battle, none other than Serena Williams showed up to share a few minutes with her. It wasn't long, but it was enough to give her an adrenaline rush and then feel much more confident on the court. She shared this in the press conference after her victory in the night session.

Victory against Pavlyuchenkova

"I am happy with the performance; I felt like I was facing a player who could hit really powerful shots, so I needed to be very prepared and I was. I am happy to have controlled most of the match."

Meeting with Serena Williams

"It was very nice to see her; she radiates a very positive energy. It was good that she came to the stadium and was chatting with some players. For me, even though we had already met before and shared different places on the tour for a couple of years, it felt like being in the presence of a star who was still intimidating me. It was nice that she approached me; I probably wouldn't have had the courage to do it the other way around, but yes, it was very nice and positive with me. I am happy that she still follows tennis; she said she was cheering for me, and it's always good to hear that from Serena."

Did she disrupt your routines?

"I have my routines like everyone else, but it's not a big deal. It's okay if I can mix them up or change them sometimes, it's no problem. She came to me around 4:00 in the afternoon, which was before my warm-up, so I didn't mind. If it had been at another time, maybe they would have said it could distract me, but what I would have done is find inspiration. In fact, that chat gave me a positive boost that was very nice."

Tennis level compared to decades ago

"It's hard for me to judge the level I have because I am constantly looking at myself and other players, so it's not easy to say if we are playing at our best level or at a higher level than five years ago. Surely we are playing better tennis than 20 years ago because our physical condition has improved, among other things. I'm not an expert, I haven't watched many past matches, but it's clear that you need to improve to move forward. Becoming World No. 1 happened suddenly for me; I admit that at first, my opponents didn't know what to expect from my game. 2023 was a challenge because I had a big target on my back; my rivals already knew my style, so that's when you need to learn and have more variety on the court, you can't keep playing the same tennis because people will figure it out, and it will be harder to win. I don't know if tennis is improving overall, but you need to enhance your game because here everyone analyzes you, they will end up focusing on you to beat you."

Leisure time in New York

"It hasn't changed much compared to other tournaments, but it did change compared to previous editions here in New York, at least from a couple of years ago. Now, I stay in a different part of the city, enjoy some restaurants, and take the opportunity to do some Legos. I'm reading a lot, I was watching Modern Family in the past few weeks, although I watched it a lot more in Cincinnati, I have to balance it. Here, I am actually reading a lot more; Beatriz Haddad Maia recommended me a good book, but I don't remember the name. I will tell you next time because I just started it, and it seems pleasant, so I always have something to read."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek y su encuentro con Serena: “Me dio un impulso positivo”