Iga Swiatek was asked if she is rediscovering the joy in competing after she steamrolled Jessica Pegula to reach the semi-finals at the 2026 Italian Open.
The six-time Grand Slam winner destroyed world No 5 Pegula 6-1, 6-2 in the quarter-finals at the WTA 1000 event in Rome on Wednesday.
The world No 3 is through to her first semi-final of the year after suffering quarter-final exits at four tournaments, as well as retiring in the third round in Madrid and losing her opening match in Miami.
Swiatek is chasing her fourth Italian Open title after triumphing in the ‘Eternal City’ in 2021, 2022 and 2024. The 24-year-old Pole will play either Elena Rybakina or Elina Svitolina in the last four.
Here is everything Iga Swiatek said after her quarter-final victory.
Q. Your thoughts on your performance?
SWIATEK: Yeah, for sure, I’m really happy with the match. From the beginning I felt like I can dictate. Tactically, everything made sense as well. I was feeling the ball really well. I just used my chance and was pretty confident.
Q. On your forehand, against a flat hitter like Jess, you varied it really well in terms of the trajectory, using your spin. How have you approached your forehand in general over the past few weeks?
SWIATEK: Yeah, I mean, I’ve been playing a bit differently, I would say. More similar to how I played couple years ago, more like a clay court player. I guess all the things that we practised really clicked during last few matches. Yeah, I was feeling that I can really add a lot of spin and a lot of power to the forehand. The trajectory was really nice. I just used it.
Q. Today you didn’t face a break point. I was wondering, where are you in your process of getting better with the serve? How much is important in the surface like a clay to find maybe more the placement rather than the speed?
SWIATEK: Honestly, I feel on clay that there is not so much pressure on the serve because it’s not so easy to get free points. I know I have a really great baseline game, so even if my serve is going to be kind of normal and not do a lot, I know it’s still in my hands what to happen with the point. I don’t think it’s that much important. But for sure, yeah, the placement is more important than the speed here ’cause the ball will bounce pretty high anyway, even when you serve like 180. It’s good to already, like, open up the court if you can with the serve. But as I said, I don’t feel like it matters that much as on other surfaces.
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Q. Last year you said that you didn’t remember the last time you played freely, relaxed. After this year’s Miami Open you said you felt a little lost on court. Now it feels different. Are you starting to rediscover the joy in competing?
SWIATEK: Uhm… Yeah, if you play well, if you feel the ball right, if you are doing the right things, it’s all clicking, it’s easy to enjoy. Yeah, I am enjoying. There are tournaments that you enjoy; there are tournaments where you feel you play terrible, not even play but you, overall, feel terrible. You need to kind of accept it can happen and kind of move on, work so you have opportunity to play good on the next one maybe. For sure, I feel good here.
Q. Speaking to a few players who have said they’ve heard from other players that they’ve used AI, ChatGPT to scout opponents, their strengths and weaknesses, decide how to play matches. How does that sound from your perspective? I imagine you’re not someone who does that.
SWIATEK: First of all, I buy stats. I would rather use this pro tools that they are using because I’m working with, like, analytics. I get the service from them. I don’t feel there’s need. I don’t know who’s using ChatGPT, but I’m pretty sure top players are using the same brand as I use or other firms that are specialising in this. I guess they use AI for sure, but I don’t know how. I wouldn’t honestly go and, like, search for the stats myself because you can get quite a lot. It’s the other thing, like, using just the proper information and not making too many, not like it being too chaotic on the court for you. I’d rather my coach does it, then he tells me the most important stuff and that’s it. I’m using ChatGPT for other stuff, but not this.
Q. What kind of things do you use it for?
SWIATEK: He’s writing emails for me sometimes.
Q. How do you feel after a strong performance like this, like today? How much it’s important for your confidence for the rest of the season on clay? I’m thinking about Roland Garros, of course.
SWIATEK: Well, the goal was to play as many matches as possible. I’m really happy that I just have opportunity to do that because I felt like I didn’t play a lot at all, comparing to last season. I’m happy that, yeah, I can spend some time on the court and play really solid matches against the best girls. For sure, it’s giving me confidence because you can practice as much as possible, but if you don’t test it out on the court, play matches and face pressure or something, you’re going to still feel the little bit rusty when it comes. Now I’m happy I played couple matches. I’ll play hopefully two more here.
Q. Why you don’t play doubles? I see you in mixed sometimes in some Slams, in some exhibition, but you don’t play doubles. Why?
SWIATEK: For the last three seasons, I played the most singles matches of all players, so there’s no space for doubles for me.
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