Iga Swiatek about the disappearance of the ribbon in Ukrainian colours, her return to world number one, Agnieszka Radwanska's words [INTERVIEW]

Iga Świątek continues her preparations for the new season. Two weeks of intensive training in Warsaw are behind her, and at the beginning of next week the world number 1 will exchange frosty and snowy Poland for the warm United Arab Emirates. She will play in an exhibition tournament there and then spend the holidays with members of her family, who will fly to Abu Dhabi to join her. Then a trip to Australia and the first official tournament on tour – the United Cup. Iga Swiatek talks about the 2023 season and her preparations for the next one in an interview with Michal Chojecki, a journalist from "Super Express".

"Super Express": "The best things happen to us when we stop chasing them" - these were the words you wrote right after your triumph in WTA Finals in Cancun. Was this mental attitude crucial during this crazy last part of the season?

Iga Swiatek: - Yes, absolutely. I think if I hadn't let go of the expectations in a way and if I hadn't coped so well with the pressure at the end of the season, none of this would have happened. After the US Open, there was a time when I had to change my attitude so I could continue to develop well as a player, focus on training and also be more freer and more relaxed during matches.

- Which season are you more proud of - 2022 or 2023? It is quite obvious that the previous one was more spectacular in terms of numbers and statistics. But by 2023 the level of competition has increased and there were many more challenges you had to deal with.

- It's hard to compare. In 2022 everything was going very smoothly; this 37-match winning streak started and I honestly don't know how it all happened. I won Roland Garros, we knew what we were aiming for and we achieved it without any serious problems. This year was different because I had two injuries that were serious and could have kept me out for longer if we had handled them poorly and not managed everything as well as we did. There were a lot of ups and downs when it comes to my form, and the rivalry with Aryna Sabalenka became very intense. That's why there were certainly many more challenges, and the fact that I returned to the top of the rankings in the last tournament with such a small point advantage seems very abstract to me and I don't think such things happen in sports very often. It actually made me prouder of my performance this season.

- You have finished two weeks of intensive training in Warsaw. And now you are going to play in the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi (December 21-24). What are your immediate plans? When will you exchange frosty Poland for warm United Arab Emirates?

- Soon, because I'm leaving at the beginning of next week, so these are my last days in Warsaw. The training sessions are definitely hard, and today I had one of the hardest ones. And in Abu Dhabi training will be even more intense, but there will be more time to rest as well and fewer responsibilities off the court. I think this preparation period is perfectly arranged so that I can feel good in those conditions in Australia after two weeks of playing in temperatures over 25 degrees.

- In the exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi you are going to play in one team with Hubert Hurkacz, with whom you will also join forces in the United Cup, which is the first official tournament of the season. Can you say that this is also the first stage of preparations for the Olympics, in which you and Hubi will fight together for medals in the mixed doubles?

- Yes, absolutely. These exhibition matches and the United Cup will definitely help us a lot. However, I already played with Hubert a year ago, so it's not like we have to change much, because we both play great tennis and I think we get along very well on and off the court. I think it's a cool adventure and a good opportunity to compete at the Olympics together.

- At the Olympics you will play singles and mixed doubles. Is doubles with Magda Linette also possible?

- Honestly, we haven't talked about it. None of us have actually broached the subject yet. But I don't think I could do a third category. I stopped playing doubles in 2022 so that I could focus 100 per cent on singles, because after all, Im just not the kind of player who could treat doubles matches as a training session. I always cared a lot and each defeat was a bit overwhelming for me, which sometimes - when I was still in a singles tournament - affected me. That's why I'll probably focus on singles and mixed doubles.

While you were on holiday in the Maldives, a media storm broke out in Poland after Agnieszka Radwańskas words about your absence from the Polish national team in the Billie Jean King Cup finals. Did you feel offended by this statement?

- Honestly, I didnt feel offended because it didnt really matter to me. Each of us has had completely different careers and they are managed differently. Even though we had the same coach (Tomasz Wiktorowski), sometimes we make different decisions. Agnieszka has undoubtedly done a lot for Polish tennis; thanks to her the Polish national team achieved great results and - as she said - she was available all the time. It's just that given the progress I've made and the fact that I'm number 1, I also have a lot of responsibilities off the court. Besides, you can see in the statistics that 2023 was the second season I played the most matches on tour. I realize that sometimes, unfortunately, I will have to make such decisions, especially with the two tournaments on two different continents two days apart. These decisions were definitely demanding and difficult. I hope that the WTA will go back to the system that existed in Agnieszka's times and that it will be more friendly when it comes to the schedule, dates and locations. Unfortunately, I had to make such decisions during these two years. Considering that I am healthy and how well I am doing, I think that these were right and reasonable decisions, even though they were emotionally difficult.

- The Polish national team will play a BJK Cup qualifying match in Switzerland in April. I understand that there should be no problem with your appearance there...

- Yes. It will certainly be easier to include such a match in our schedule, so we intend to play there.

- I wanted to clarify one thing, because there are various theories on this subject. Do you have to play Switzerland to qualify for the Olympics? If something bad happened, such as an injury, could you still count on a wild card from the Olympics organizers?

- You can always count on a wild card. Honestly, I don't know because I haven't read the rules carefully. This is what my team, coach and managers do, so I think they will make sure that I can play in the Olympics. But we intend to play the match against Switzerland as normal, so I don't see any obstacles for now and I hope that no injuries will occur.

- Christmas is coming.... You, a big fan of Tomasz Swiatek's dumplings (Iga's father), are going to spend it in the United Arab Emirates again. What do Christmas holidays look like in such a culturally exotic country? Will you go out for dinner at a restaurant?

- When I was there last year, there were a lot of Christmas decorations. Obviously, there was no snow and it was warm, so it was harder to feel the atmosphere we know from Poland. Last year I actually spent Christmas alone, so it wasn't really an ideal situation. That's why this year my family are coming to visit me, so we will actually spend it together, just in a different place. I'm very happy about this. After last year's experience, I decided it would be a better decision.

- Do you prefer giving gifts or receiving them?

- Giving gifts without a doubt. I already have everything prepared (smile).

- Do you remember a gift from your childhood or adult life that gave you the greatest joy and that you remember most fondly?

- Oh, that's a difficult question! I definitely remember that my dad bought me a gramophone and huge speakers when I was 18. It was a great gift. I'm sure there were many more, I just can't remember now. But this gramophone stuck in my memory and I think it will stay with me until the end.

- I know you don't like being asked about the famous Iga Swiatek bakery (sets won 6:0 and 6:1), because you respect your opponents. However, I wanted to ask you about what Novak Djokovic said. And he said that what impresses him most about you are your incredible mental attitude and your determination to win every game. He said this demonstrates the spirit and mindset of a great champion. Were you like this from birth or have you learned it over time?

- I remember I never liked wasting time on the court, and when I was doing something, I always felt I had to do it one hundred per cent. There was a time when I simply couldn't play like that, with the same focus and intensity. It was only in 2022 when I reached such a level that everything came together and started to work. These are also the results of my work with psychologist Daria Abramowicz, because when it comes to focus, I had never been very good at it. And now I'm actually the best on tour and many players can learn from us. That's why I'm proud of myself and the team.

- It's no secret that the relations between you and other top players and the WTA authorities have not been too good lately. Has anything happened after the letters demanding changes that you sent to WTA President Steve Simon? Is there a willingness on the part of the WTA to repair these relations and meet your demands?

- The main problem is that many decisions were made without our knowledge and without our involvement. And now it is difficult to negotiate with various institutions once these decisions have been made and the contracts have been signed. However, we still expect that there will be a change and that rules will be introduced, making it a little easier for us to function on tour. It will also make us able to stay healthy longer and have a greater balance in life. That's why we keep talking to the WTA and the most important thing is that we are united in what we want. Unfortunately, it often happens that we beat our heads against the wall. I hope that next season, with our engagement and initiative, we will get a little more of the things that are needed for players who start their season in the last week of December and end in the second week of November. It's all complex, and these are also business and sometimes political decisions. However, I think that step by step we can have a big impact if the WTA is willing to cooperate.

- More unofficial information has just appeared that the next WTA Finals will be held in Saudi Arabia. What is your attitude towards the project of playing the finals in a country that is - to put it mildly - very conservative when it comes to women and their rights?

- In general, the discussions are ongoing and there is no official information. This location has already been considered this year, but I will wait for the official decision. For now, we as players know very little about what is happening when it comes to these negotiations. For now, we are waiting to see what the WTA decides.

- In the last part of the season, the ribbons in Ukrainian colours disappeared from the hats you wear during matches. Is there any specific reason why this happened?

- I think this ribbon helped a lot at the beginning, when I wanted to show that I am consistent when it comes to remembering Ukrainians and what is happening, because social memory is short after all. But recently there has been a lot of hate and a lot of comments that simply judged me. People were even saying that I am not Polish. I think it started to generate more negative emotions than positive reactions and we decided that the ribbon wasn't the best idea any more. However, we still intend to support Ukraine and I think this is the most important thing. And with what has already happened, wearing the ribbon and the charity match in Krakow, I hope that I have encouraged Poles to help. Besides, there was no need for encouragement, because as a nation we really came together and we have done a lot.