Swiatek, after defeating Kostyuk: "Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone"

Iga Swiatek has achieved a very important comeback against Marta Kostyuk in the WTA Toronto 2026. The Polish tennis player had been playing at a very high level throughout the tournament and has reached the quarter-finals with brilliant second and third sets. Moreover, she spoke at a press conference about her evolution in recent months and how she has to get used to not always feeling comfortable during her matches. 

Swiatek is a player who likes to have everything under control, but due to the current level of the circuit, there are times when she has to get used to trailing and reversing the situation through experience. That’s what she did today, where after a first set that could have been improved, she managed to unsettle Kostyuk to position herself as one of the favorites to win the tournament; even more than she already was.

Swiatek analyzes her victory over Kostyuk

Well, I know I can play better. I know that in the first set I should have taken more risks on some shots. In the second, I came out with more bravery and took the opportunities, playing a bit faster and with more power, and putting a little more pressure on Marta. I knew I could maintain my solidity while doing that. So, point by point, I felt it was a good plan and a good decision, and I went for it.

Many breaks at the start of the match

Well, I think that the speed of my serve was not enough, but she also returned well. It’s not that I was blaming myself. I was more thinking: I know she’s a great returner, puts a lot of pressure, especially on the opponent's second serve, and sometimes she took risks and the ball went in. So yes, I knew I had to serve better if I wanted to win the match, but I also knew that if I kept playing solidly, she could make some errors. So, well, in the second and third sets, I simply improved my serve level.

Emotions after the victory

Yes, the truth is that I was proud of myself and happy with my performance. It was an intense match. Even though the score wasn’t very close, we fought for every point. There weren’t many easy points. And if either of us made errors, it was because the other was putting pressure. It’s not that we were playing badly or anything like that. So, in the end, I was glad to have been the more solid one and for having improved my game until the end. That’s all.

Staying calm during the match

I was clear about what I needed to change and knew what I was doing wrong. I was calm because, well, the worst thing you can feel is hopelessness or not knowing what to do. Today I didn’t feel that way. That’s why I stayed calm and trusted the plan I had in mind, and yes, I felt relaxed (laughs).

Swiatek talks about her lack of bravery in the first set

You play at a certain pace and feel comfortable with it, you know? But to win a match like that, sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone, you know, play a bit faster. Maybe not with absolute certainty that the ball is going to go in, but sometimes you have to take risks.

What to do when you see an opponent desperate

I don’t care. The truth is I usually don’t pay attention to that because I’m pretty focused on my work. But if I see it, honestly it gives me a bit of satisfaction. But I almost always don’t care because I want to keep doing my job.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek, tras ganar a Kostyuk: "A veces tienes que salir de tu zona de comfort"