At 21, Iga Swiatek won the US Open, on hard surface, the third Grand Slam tournament of her career. The Pole is particularly proud of it because “people weren’t expecting me,” she said after her 6-2 7-6 win over Ons Jabeur in the final.
– How do you feel after this victory?
EACH SWIATEK: I’m super proud of myself because it wasn’t an easy game. Even though I dominated the start of the game, I knew it would be close and I knew Ons would take advantage of every mistake I made. I am particularly proud of my mental level, I do not crack in difficult times. After the matches, even though I lost, I have no regrets because I know I was 100%.
– Was it important to win a Grand Slam title on a surface other than clay?
EACH SWIATEK: Sure ! I made it to the semi-finals at the Australian Open, but I wasn’t sure I was good enough to win a Grand Slam, especially on a surface as fast as the US Open. I didn’t expect that, that’s for sure. It is also a confirmation that I have no limit.
– Is this title more satisfactory than the 2 of Roland-Garros?
EACH SWIATEK: It is difficult to compare. At Roland-Garros, I always feel that I am in control. Here on the Arthur Ashe, I find it hard to get used to the atmosphere. For my second title at Roland-Garros, I was under a lot of pressure and everyone expected me to win. Here I had lower goals, I think people didn’t expect a lot from me on hard. So I think Roland-Garros was a bit more complicated. But if we only talk about tennis and physics, it was more difficult here.
Iga Swiatek did not go into detail against the Tunisian Ons Jabeur. [Jason Szenes – Keystone]
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