Swiatek puts aside the fight for the number one spot in her mind: "It's not a priority for me"

Iga Swiatek returned to competition in Seoul and did so with a healing victory, a triumph to reaffirm her evolution over a year of great news. Not only that: the way she defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final, after losing the first set 1-6 and not finding her best form, turned the title into a demonstration of mental strength, something that went far beyond tennis.

Now, Iga Swiatek appears at the WTA Beijing 2025 as the top candidate for a title she already won a couple of seasons ago. She admits in a press conference that the trophy came at the right moment, a balm after several disappointments that made her regain confidence in her tennis: this year she aims to achieve a double in a tournament where she starts as number one after Aryna Sabalenka's withdrawal. The Polish player also had words about reaching the top spot in the rankings.

- Regarding how she approaches Beijing after winning in Seoul, especially in terms of rest and energy (there hasn't been much recovery time)

"Honestly, I couldn't reflect much because I knew I would have a day off after the final, so I spent 12 hours walking around Seoul because I wanted to see the city. I had heard great things about it, and during the tournament, I didn't have time to explore it, as on rest days, it always rained. Only yesterday could I reflect a bit on the tournament: happy to have drawn strength in the final. Even though it wasn't a perfect match, I won. And that doesn't happen that often. Normally I feel good with my tennis and win, but the feelings at the beginning of this final were not good, and I was able to turn it around. That's the biggest takeaway I have from Seoul, although overall it was a great experience; I hope to return because I had a great time."

- After the title in Seoul, about the chances of returning to number one and if it is an objective for the remainder of the season

"I would say that the number one spot is something that you always have in a corner of your mind, but it's not your priority. I know that in terms of rankings, it doesn't matter much if you're number 2 or number one, they are just numbers, but it doesn't change the fact that you must feel your tennis and focus on your evolution on the court, as results will follow all of that. I don't focus on it, no. It's a different situation from last year when I couldn't defend the number one spot, yes, so I'm happy to be able to fight for it, but my focus is on tennis-related aspects and how I feel on the court."

Image

- Regarding the change in the Billie Jean King Cup schedule, now at the beginning of the Asian tour, and being held in Shenzhen

"I haven't talked about the tournament with my teammates because I didn't play it. Regarding the timing in the calendar, it's a good decision because for a player who doesn't participate in the WTA Finals, it's hard to feel within the season in November, where they were previously held, and not be able to go on vacation. Maybe I shouldn't talk about vacations, but let's be honest, there's no time for them during the season. And our bodies need them too. Some players wait, others go on vacation, train for a couple of days and play the tournament, which is not ideal.

Yes, the change is for the better, but there's an important issue: for the ITF and WTA to sit down together and allow players not to have to play six mandatory 500s, or five, because if you play the BJK Cup finals, you have one week less to do so. If the WTA could treat it like another tournament, maybe they could remove one of the mandatory 500s, I think that would be good."

- She debuted in Beijing two years ago... and won the title, a place that brings back good memories

"The tournament has changed a lot. I arrived here after Tokyo, where I lost in the third round. It was a smaller tournament and it was a great disappointment; I wasn't feeling well and was very tired from the entire season and the US Open. I even thought about skipping the Asian tour, but my team advised against it. I arrived here with no expectations, even a bit tense because I hadn't won any titles and everyone was judging me. I didn't enjoy the first training sessions. However, throughout the tournament, I felt that the surface and balls suited me perfectly. I played an amazing match against Caroline Garcia, very close. After that match, I let go of all the tension and focused on playing at a high level of tennis. This tournament has always boosted my energy levels because the final stretch of the season is not easy; you feel tired, but you have to make a final effort. Yes, Beijing changed the dynamics and momentum for me."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek aleja de su mente la lucha por el número uno: "No es una prioridad para mí"