Tennis - US Open 2024 - Iga Swiatek met Serena Williams saturday : "A star who was still intimidating me"
La rencontre avec la Queen Serena Williams n'a pas perturbé la reine de la WTA, en très grande forme. Iga Swiatek s'était montrée impressionnante jeudi lors de son deuxième tour de l'US Open contre la Japonaise Ena Shibahara. Une victoire expéditive, 6-0, 6-1, qui lui permettait de retrouver Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, tête de série numéro 25, au troisième tour. La Polonaise, évidemment favorite, a produit du bon tennis pour l'emporter encore une fois en patronne 6-4, 6-2. La reine de la WTA n'a pas concédé la moindre balle de break et a montré beaucoup d'autorité pour filer en deuxième semaine. Elle affrontera lundi Liudmila Samsonova. En conférence de presse, Swiatek est évidemment revenue sur sa rencontre avec Serena avant son match.
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00:00Well for sure I'm happy with the performance because I felt like you know
00:07she's a player that can play really powerful first shots so I wanted to be
00:11ready for that and I was so I'm happy that I was in control of the match.
00:16Thank you. Name and affiliation one question each so I get around the room.
00:20English. Court. I just wanted to ask you about the forehand stab. I practice that all the time.
00:34It came so naturally to you. How much of that is luck? How much of that is at all hand skill, eye skill?
00:41No I think mostly luck. I would be giving too much credit to myself if I would say I've had control over it
00:49but I guess in situations like that you remember it's worth to kind of reach for
00:54every ball even though you think you might not get it so it was mostly luck.
01:01I saw the video of you and Serena chatting. Just curious what was it like to see her and if you want to, what were you chatting about?
01:13It was really nice to see her. She has a lot of positive energy so it's nice that she came outside and she was chatting with the players
01:21because for me I still felt even though we met before and for a couple of years we've been on the same sides and on tour together
01:33she's still star striking me so it was nice that she approached me because I wouldn't for sure find courage to do that if it was the other way
01:44but yeah she's really nice and really positive and I'm happy that she's following tennis and my games because she told me that she's trained for me
01:54so it's always nice to hear that from somebody like Serena.
01:58Is it better approaching people in general?
02:01I think so but I think so yeah. I mean I'm not that shy for sure as I was a couple of years ago so it feels better.
02:14Hi, Aki Uchida from Smash Magazine. Congratulations.
02:19It's not only about today's match but in general you have been in number one for more than two years already
02:27and many players say that women's tennis is evolving so fast.
02:33If you stay in the same level it's not good enough to be in the same ranking or same position.
02:40So do you agree with that and how much progress do you think that women's tennis has made in the last couple of years or five years or something?
02:51I didn't understand the first part of the question.
02:54So if you maintain your level you cannot stay in the same ranking.
03:01Do you mean to get better?
03:03Yeah, to maintain your ranking.
03:05I think it's hard for me to judge the whole level of the game because I'm mostly looking at myself and probably a few other players.
03:18So it's hard for me to judge if we're playing better tennis than five years ago.
03:26I think for sure we're playing better tennis than 20 years ago because our physicality is getting better.
03:34And some other stuff.
03:36I think people are, as general, they're kind of going forward.
03:41But it's still, I mean, I'm not an expert.
03:44I haven't watched a lot of matches from the past to kind of know exactly.
03:50But for sure you need to get better because I would say getting to number one, it happened suddenly for me.
04:01But at the beginning I feel like my opponents didn't really know what to expect from me and how I play.
04:07And I think 2023 was challenging because I had a target on my back and also players actually learned my game style.
04:17So I think you always need to learn and try to have more variety and many options on the court.
04:24Because it's not like you can keep playing the same tennis.
04:27People will figure it out and it's going to be much harder to win.
04:30So yeah, I think in these terms rather than if tennis is getting overall better and better because it's hard for me to judge.
04:41But I think you need to kind of mix up your game because at the beginning you might be there for a while.
04:49But then everybody will analyze you and focus on how to win against you.
04:56Are we good?
04:59You seem like a player who has very specific ways that you like to warm up before matches.
05:07So to have Serena kind of be a part of that, did that distract you at all or kind of faze you at all?
05:15I have my routines but it's not that bad.
05:18I can mix them up and change them as well.
05:22But she approached me at four today.
05:26It was before my warm-up so I wouldn't say it matters.
05:32If it did, anything would distract me.
05:35But I would say it more inspired me and it gave me a positive kick so it was nice.
05:43I'm curious how you spend your days off.
05:46How has that changed over the years and how have you been doing it?
05:50I wouldn't say it changes compared to other tournaments.
05:54But it changed compared to me in New York one or two years ago.
05:59Because I'm staying in a different part of the city and I'm enjoying some restaurants.
06:04And I'm doing some Legos.
06:13And I'm reading a lot.
06:14I was watching Modern Family for the past few weeks but I was watching it too much.
06:19I was watching it too much in Cincinnati probably.
06:21So I have to balance it.
06:24So I'm reading more.
06:25And actually Beatrice Kadadmaya recommended me a nice book.
06:28So I don't remember the name. I'll tell you next time.
06:31I'll tell you next time because I just started it.
06:35And it seems nice so I have something to read.
06:39The machine, the old one from the 80s when you played games.
06:48Yeah, a Pac-Man.
06:50So it's a nice one.
06:52And also I chose it because when it's going to be built I can travel with it.
06:58Because it's just kind of square.
07:01It's not something crazy.
07:02Because I've been doing flower sets and then they broke after 30 minutes in travel.
07:07So I just left them in these places.
07:09But this one I want to get home.
07:11All right, David, last question.
07:18Who recommended Modern Family?
07:23I'm not sure honestly.
07:24I think I just started watching it because I wanted something light and it was funny.
07:28And who's my favorite character?
07:29It changes like every season so I can't really say.
07:33It was easier with friends than with Modern Family because I feel like money for me is the funniest one.
07:43When I first watched it, it was Phoebe.
07:47When I watched it for the second time, it was Monica.