Swiatek: "I have been able to disconnect from tennis for a few weeks"

Iga Swiatek begins the WTA 1000 in Toronto with the confidence of having conquered Wimbledon just a few weeks ago and with the intention of carrying that good momentum into the start of the North American hard court swing. The Polish player, who has not competed in Canada since 2022, stated she arrives with renewed energy after a few days of rest and the excitement of facing a tournament that feels almost new to her.

During Media Day, the world number one spoke about how she disconnected after her success in London, explained her current relationship with social media, and shared interesting insights about the growth of Alexandra Eala, one of the young players making great waves on the circuit.

Iga Swiatek's statements before the WTA 1000 in Toronto 2026

Rest after Wimbledon and a return with renewed energy

After winning Wimbledon, Swiatek decided to completely step away from tennis for a little over a week before beginning to prepare for the American tour.

"I spent seven or eight days in Greece with my friends. It was a lot of fun and, above all, a time to completely disconnect from tennis. I only followed what Hubert Hurkacz was doing at Wimbledon, but I hardly watched any matches. It was a good opportunity to relax and live a life different from tennis."

The Polish player also explained that returning to Toronto holds special meaning for her, as it has been four years since she last competed there.

"I am very happy to be here. The last time I came was in 2022, so I feel almost like I'm arriving at a new place. I know most of the tournaments on the circuit very well, but not this one as much. I prepared for the hard court season in Warsaw and now we continue that work here."

Social media, rain delays, and the mixed doubles experience

Swiatek acknowledged that social media has changed a lot since she started her career and now requires much more careful management.

"When I was younger, social media was a nicer place to connect with people. Now everything is much more intense. You can experience beautiful moments if you post content or interact with fans, but if you go into private messages and see bots writing negative things, it won't be a pleasant experience."

"You have to filter very well what you want to see. Sometimes the algorithm also shows you things about yourself that you don’t want to read, so you must learn to ignore them and not let them affect you." She also spoke about how she manages long rain delays, a common situation in many tournaments.

"If you know you're not going to play for two or three hours, you need to use that time to relax. If you keep the adrenaline up for too long before the match, by the time it’s time to go on court you’ll already be exhausted. You have to know how to maintain your energy and activate it just before competing."

On the other hand, she fondly recalled the experience of mixed doubles at the US Open alongside Casper Ruud.

"It was a different way of competing and gave me a lot of freshness. It was something different from what we do throughout the season. I had a lot of fun playing with Casper. I don't think it directly influenced my preparation for the singles draw, but it was very nice to change up the routine, play more volleys, and enjoy another type of tennis. Plus, the audience loved it."

Her memory of Alexandra Eala and the evolution of the women’s circuit

Swiatek was also asked about Alexandra Eala, with whom she crossed paths during the graduation ceremony of the Rafa Nadal Academy and whom she had previously met.

"We didn’t know each other very well. I remember training with her in Miami when she was still not on the circuit. Then we met again at the Rafa Nadal Academy, although I was very focused on not messing up the speech I had to give. I got pretty nervous because I'm not used to giving speeches; it's very different from doing interviews."

"I was able to talk a little with Rafa and his family, but Alexandra was enjoying her own moment. She was graduating, and I had already gone through that stage. I found it funny to think that I'm only a few years older than her and yet I was the one giving the graduation speech."

Finally, the Polish player was asked about the growth of new generations and whether she feels the women's circuit is becoming increasingly competitive.

"I don't think it's harder for that reason. Young players always come along. The only thing that changes is your perspective. At first, you're the newbie and then you become an established player, but the circuit always works like that. It's the natural cycle of the sport. There will always be a mix of experienced players and new generations."

With the momentum from her victory at Wimbledon and after regaining energy during her vacation, Iga Swiatek begins the American tour convinced that the challenge is not about looking too far ahead, but rather about continuing to build on the level shown in recent weeks. As new figures like Alexandra Eala make a strong breakthrough in the circuit, the Polish player naturally embraces this generational shift and maintains her focus on continuing to evolve within an increasingly competitive WTA.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek: "He podido desconectar del tenis durante unas semanas"