Swiatek, after her first title of the year: "This week everything fell into place: my tennis, my physical condition, and also the mental work"

At last, Iga Swiatek became Iga Swiatek again. The Pole found her tennis after a very inconsistent 2026 to lift the title at the WTA 1000 in Canada, her first trophy in eleven months. She achieved this by defeating none other than Elena Rybakina, who could not match the level of the player from Warsaw, winning 6-2, 6-3.

After celebrating the title, Swiatek attended a press conference to discuss her great week in Toronto, the pressure of not winning a title in almost a year, the difficulty of defeating Rybakina, and her impressive record in finals (26-5).

Swiatek's first words as the champion of the WTA 1000 in Canada 2026

"It means a lot. Yes, I'm a bit speechless because the journey has been complicated this season. So to be here, to lift the trophy, and to win against the best players means a lot to me. I'm proud of myself and very happy."

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"Obviously, we all work to experience these moments, and of course, I missed it a bit. I was sometimes impatient during the season. I was looking for that moment when perhaps my game wasn't ready yet. So I'm glad I stayed focused simply on working and improving because that's the most important thing. This season it was necessary to do it this way. This week everything fell into place: my tennis, my physical condition, and also the mental work. It has definitely been the best week of the season so far."

Swiatek stands up to the criticism

"Well, I didn't feel emotional during the tournament. I think now, after winning, I allowed myself to feel a little because, as I said in the speech, there are many things that athletes, and not just athletes, have to fight against."

"Sometimes we have to fight against things we shouldn't have to. That's why I'm even prouder of myself because I focused on my path and didn't let that define me. I believed in myself and I know the value of my game. I just need to focus on the right things, do the right work, and the good days will come."

Swiatek spoke about how she has processed her anger towards the criticism received from Poland

"It's good to focus on how to create a space for yourself and be able to focus on yourself. It's not an easy thing to do. The best thing about these two weeks for me was that I could put it behind me. Yes, that anger comes after winning. But throughout the process, I was really focused on growing and progressing."

"The same thing happened after Wimbledon when I started training on hard courts. I feel that I have worked hard despite all that noise, that unnecessary noise, and that is what angers me. Because it shouldn't be this way, and it doesn't have to be this way."

Swiatek confesses her great concentration throughout the Toronto tournament

"I was really motivated. I stayed calm until the end, even though there were moments during the tournament when I dropped my level a bit or had some doubts. In today's final, I was sure of what I had to do and how to use all my strengths. Throughout the week, I felt that my mindset was in a good place."

By our count that’s… 🤔

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

12 CAREER WTA 1000 TITLES for Iga Swiatek👏 pic.twitter.com/8NSSCZnwlR

— National Bank Open (@NBOtoronto) August 14, 2026

"I reacted well to both the positive things that came my way and the challenges. I was able to find solutions in practically every match. That gave me a lot of confidence. That's why I pointed to my head."

Swiatek praises Rybakina

"She's a very complicated opponent. If she plays her best tennis, she is probably better than anyone. So you have to take advantage of every opportunity. You can't afford to make mistakes or make bad decisions."

"Today I was really focused. I wanted to make the match physical and use my shots with a lot of spin, remembering that I have a game with which I can control the points thanks to the spin and trajectory of the ball. In these conditions, I also found confidence in that. But any match against her is tough, especially knowing how she serves and that she can win many free points. You have to maintain patience and not let that bother you."

Swiatek highlighted her statistic of 26 wins and 5 losses in finals

"I try to approach these matches, the last match, just like the previous ones. I know what I did well and I just try to continue with that. I guess that if I'm in a final, it means my game is working, and that gives me confidence. It also means I've played several matches, some probably difficult and others not so much. I know what I have to do; I'm already in the rhythm of the tournament."

"I think the key is concentration and not letting your mind go to places that could distract you in a final because you can feel the pressure. You know you have to give your all if you want to win the tournament because in the final you're facing the best player. I just try to focus on that. Obviously, sometimes it's impossible. There are finals or other matches where it's hard to handle the situation. But you always have to try. I'm glad that most of the time it has gone well for me," concludes a Iga Swiatek who has made a statement with her title at the WTA 1000 in Canada.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek, tras su primer título del año: "Esta semana todo encajó: mi tenis, mi físico y también el trabajo mental"