May 31, 2021 • 16 mins
On the eve of the start of Roland Garros 2021, Daniela chats with 2020 French Open champion Iga Świątek. Iga reveals the changes that have happened to her since her Grand Slam victory, and Daniela finds Iga's DNA in regard to work ethic, school, and her biggest challenges yet in returning to Paris as the champion and her pursuit of her driver's license!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Well, NiCoT, thank you so much for your time. It
is really honored for myself as well. When I mentioned
rong A Ros two thousand twenty, was the first thing
that comes to your mind. M hmm. That's a hard
one actually because there are like so many emotions and
actually the right after I want, uh, I was unable
to you know, process that. So uh it's all like
(00:29):
after I want, it all seems kind of blurry for me.
But just like being proud of myself, that's the strongest
emotion I feel. Probably where was the time we know
how much media you have to do afterwards the celebrations,
When was the time you actually realize, oh my gosh,
I just want the wrong ros? Um? Well, actually, um,
(00:52):
I had a hard time to get used to all
the obligations and like sudden popularity in Poland. So mmm,
I think when I went to for holidays and I
had time, you know, to just become and think about
everything like uh not with emotions, and then I realized that, oh,
(01:14):
this is like something big, you know, that's gonna stay
with me forever. At what stage during the tournament, I
think we all players they feel that that you kind
of started to realize hold on a second, I'm playing good.
I can't do this well. Actually, till the end of
(01:35):
the tournament, I was like, um, can I really do this? Okay,
it wasn't I wasn't that sure. But I think when
I played against Simona, and I I had some doubts
before my before my match because you know in two thousands,
um nateen, she beat me in like less than fifteen minutes.
(01:56):
So um, I was scared that the situation is gonna
We're gonna have the same situation again. But then actually
I saw how much progress I've I've made and how
um mentally I'm stronger and stronger, and also I have
weapons against uh, like the best players. So during that Madge,
I think I gained much more confidence. And uh, you know,
(02:20):
when I was playing semifinal and quarterfinal, it was pretty
weird because I was higher ranked than my opponents and
it's not like usual for me on on Grand Slams.
It wasn't so so you know, I just I want
with Simona, and she was basically, uh, the one I
(02:40):
thought is going to win the tournament, So the expectations
were a little bit higher, like from the outside, but um,
Dicky was to just keep our routines and not think
about the expectations, just you know, doing the same stuff
with it. At the beginning of tournaments, when you look
back at the final US in the morning, what did
(03:02):
you feel? Nervous, excited, confident, calm um. You know, I
was just in a tournament mood, so I wasn't really
thinking about emotions, just about you know, was my next
thing to do. Like, you know, I got a warm
up before my practice and practiced and some food and
(03:22):
actually I didn't have like much time to overthink stuff.
So yeah, I was giving my routines. I think I
was more nervous on a final than on my previous matches.
But actually, uh, when when Sophia took the medical time out,
um and I was alone on court in like second set,
(03:43):
I started I started having fun with the audience and
that's really that really helped me because I was stressed
at the beginning, and then um, I was just you
know having fun and enjoying that. So yeah, talking about
the fans, how much it means to to play in
front of the French crowd. Obviously going back now this year,
it's gonna be amazing experience. Well, we're gonna see with
(04:08):
the COVID restrictions, are it's gonna go. Um, for sure,
we're not gonna have uh full stadiums, but um it's
it's always nice just to have a little bit of
that because we kind of got used to the new
reality and playing with with no crowds and um, I
don't like it. Actually I saw anyone likes it. Yeah. Well,
(04:31):
I mean sometimes for me it was easier to because
I didn't get so many factors and I could actually
rest and and focus, um like between matches. And staying
in the bubble also helps sometimes because you know, you
can just stay in bad and you don't have you
don't have to go anywhere, so so that's nice and
that's helpful with resting. But um, at the end, you know,
(04:55):
I saw an Australian open that when I played a
night session, they we helped me. The audience and the
Polish fans that came out and they were screaming. They
gave me so much energy that uh um, yeah, I
missed that. So hopefully we're gonna have better situations. And
now I don't know if you are one of uh
(05:17):
as me one of the members of the Superstitious club.
If so, are there any things that you're already looking
forward to do this year in Paris that you did
last year that kind of helped you. Um, I'm not superstitious,
but I'd like to keep my routines, as I said, so, uh,
but actually on every tournament, I have different routines. So uh,
(05:39):
you know, we're just gonna see how it's gonna look like.
I mean, I've never been on a tournament as a
defending champion, so, um, it's a nice problem, that's true. Um,
but you know it's still a new experience and uh,
we're gonna see because I can approach this, um like
(06:00):
this problem, um in two ways. It can give me,
like a lot of motivation and everything, but it can
also stress me. So it's good that I have a
psychologists on my team and she's gonna be there and
we're gonna, you know, work on everything that's gonna come
to us. Well, I'm glad you mentioned that because that's
one of the questions I'm looking forward the most. And
(06:23):
whenever I commented your matches or I get to talk
about you, I give you as the best example for
young generations how you go about you know, the whole
social media stuff, the mobiles and all that. Um, how
important do you think it is in professional sports to
be able to turn off that outside noise and really
focus on what really matters. Well, I think it depends
(06:47):
on on a person. And for me, it's like the
best pattern to do because when I'm at home, I
have so many things to do right now, I mean
before as well, because I had school and I I
finished high school. Normally I didn't go to you know,
internest going or something. It's not like a great achievement,
(07:07):
but things, well, I know I did the same thing.
I couldn't like change the timing or whatever. And I
think it's so important yeah for me as well. So yeah,
so I have so many things to do at home
that I actually like going on tournaments and you know,
just cut off everything because um, yeah, I'm I'm staying
(07:29):
that kind of bubble, not COVID bubble, but my bubble were, um,
where I can just actually rest and focus on myself
and yeah, just you know, be ready for for matches.
And that's my actually only applications before tournament, and that's
that's like less than I have at home. So actually
(07:51):
tournaments sometimes I'm resting more than when I have breaks.
Well while done on that, because I think you are
the best example of that, really proud of you. I'm
still actually learning how to do that properly. And uh
yeah right now when my life like changed completely. It's
also hard to switch from these two modes when you
(08:11):
are doing everything in a hurry and then you have
a lot of time in the tournament. But I tried
to do some some nice stuff that's gonna keep me,
you know, relaxed, so hopefully talking about how much life
has changed. We all know that, you know, doing well,
there are some benefits. What has been like the coolest
(08:32):
thing that you got to do or meet someone or
someone wrote to you that you thought, oh my gosh,
this is really awesome. Well, I think the messages I
got from um like famous people that was that was
on the top of the list. Well, I can't really
name one person because there were people from Poland and
(08:55):
so it is in Poland, and also you know the
like tennis society, but you know, like the legends as
you know, the labor or um. There were like a
lot of messages and actually I right after de tournament,
I couldn't read all of them, but it was really
amazing to see that, you know, my work has been
(09:19):
appreciated that way. Um, But actually I think the the
best things are are yet to come. Because I didn't
really have much time to you know, rest. I had
to prepare for the next season, and um, when I
have some time off, I'm doing my driver's license. So
I still have some some stuff to do. And I
(09:41):
think after this season and basically after Olympics, we're gonna
rest a little bit more and and go on some
nice vacations. Those are the real problems having to do
our driving license. Well, actually it was pretty hard because
I wanted to do it as farst as I can,
so when I'm empting eighteen in Europe. But you know,
(10:02):
I had graduation from high school, then COVID came and
actually right now I'm almost twenty and I don't have it.
So yeah, well you better hurry up. It'sn't well so okay,
Well I hope next time I see you you already
have it. So anyways, Um, lastly, um, one of the
most impressive things that I think about you is that
(10:25):
you know, one thing is to do in Roland Arrows
and a grandson title, but then to be able to
back it up with amazing results and being super solid. Um.
You know the months following that that's probably sometimes even harder. Well,
don't be perfectional, but it's been. It's been great. But
what do you think, Um, the key to that is
(10:46):
to to keep up with that consistency. Well, like you know,
in my opinion, I'm not still consistent, so so we
have a lot of work to do. And actually, UM,
like it's harder for me to do with my expectations
than people's expectations. And seeing how I played on round girls,
(11:08):
it gave me like the thing that, oh, wow, I
can play a great tennis, So why aren't I um
doing that on on every tournament? You know, And sometimes
I have thoughts like that, But it's also a new
situations that I have to adjust to, and I think
I have. Um. I had a great run in Adelaide,
(11:30):
and also I was trying open. It was a good
tournament for me, even though I lost in the fourth round.
You know, some people may think that she wanted grandson
so she should be in semifinals and finals, but fourth
round it's still a good, uh, good result for me. Um.
And you know every match I lost I had, I
have Um, I know what I should work on. And
(11:53):
I lost with really like um solid players and they
had great, great matches, uh that they so, um yeah,
I have nothing to like regret, um to have regad about.
But um, I'm we're still working to be more consistent
and I think I'm not on that level yet and
(12:13):
I think it takes um even sometimes a few years
too to achieve that. So that's my like, you know,
go for the whole career basically, Well, good luck with that,
and I must not leave before um, since Paris is
the fashion capital, ask you, now that you are doing
obviously much more photo shoots and being more in the spotlight,
(12:35):
how much your relationship to fashion has changed over the
last couple of months. Um, well, the thing is done.
I'm I do have like a lot of knowledge about fashion. Um.
So like when I'm saying, actually, like Naomi doing all
the projects and everything, Uh, well I really respect that
(12:55):
because that's that's that that part of life that I'm
not really I don't have much knowledge about. So I think, Um,
I had some good choices, like the dress I wore
after a French open too, Uh a trophy photo? Should
I think that was? That was a good choice. But um, thanks,
(13:17):
but well I still have have to improve in that.
So you're doing more more than fine, I can sense. Uh,
it's the first time we meet that you are in
the perfectionist club like I used to be. Yeah, yeah,
I go ahead, go ahead. No, I just wanted to
(13:39):
say that it's not easy always to uh to develop
in fashion area when you're a sports person, because you're
always wearing sports stuff and you know when you're gonna
when you want to be comfortable as well wearing sports stuff.
So I don't worry. You have plenty of time for
the fire you retired, then you can explore all of it. Um,
(14:04):
and it got super Lastly, UM, I have to say,
first time I got asked to describe your style of play,
I said, you remind me the combination of Martina Hingis,
Agir Advantska and Jennifer Capriati. Does any of that drink
bell do you? And did you admire any of these
players growing up? Um? Yes, well, I mean, um, of course,
(14:30):
I I know their history. I didn't actually haven't like
Idol when I was growing up, so that's kind of
weird in my case, But I think that's why you're
the combination. Well okay, but can you explain more like
which parts of um so because of because of your
timing and the easy power and at the same time
(14:53):
the anticipation like Martina that you can see what the
player is gonna do before actually do it, and the
explosiveness of Jennifer. So that's why I put it like that. Okay, Well,
now I can actually describe my game. It's hard from
(15:14):
my perspective to to see who I'm playing like, so,
so that's really nice really say that I reappiate it now,
that's that's how I feel it, how I how I
see it. And I have to say I'm one of
your biggest biggest fans because it's really cool to see
your style in in women's tennis. So thank you so
so much for your time, IgA, and I wish you
(15:36):
amazing moments in two in Roland Garros, which is coming
up very soon, and good luck with you defending your title. Well,
we gonna see how that's gonna go, but I'm looking
forward to it. Thank you very much. Thanks Hi there.
(16:00):
I hope you have enjoyed today's episode of the Real
DNA podcast. Don't forget to subscribe either on Spotify Apple Podcast,
or wherever you get your podcasts from m HM
Well, NiCoT, thank you so much for your time. It
is really honored for myself as well. When I mentioned
rong A Ros two thousand twenty, was the first thing
that comes to your mind. M hmm. That's a hard
one actually because there are like so many emotions and
actually the right after I want, uh, I was unable
to you know, process that. So uh it's all like
(00:29):
after I want, it all seems kind of blurry for me.
But just like being proud of myself, that's the strongest
emotion I feel. Probably where was the time we know
how much media you have to do afterwards the celebrations,
When was the time you actually realize, oh my gosh,
I just want the wrong ros? Um? Well, actually, um,
(00:52):
I had a hard time to get used to all
the obligations and like sudden popularity in Poland. So mmm,
I think when I went to for holidays and I
had time, you know, to just become and think about
everything like uh not with emotions, and then I realized that, oh,
(01:14):
this is like something big, you know, that's gonna stay
with me forever. At what stage during the tournament, I
think we all players they feel that that you kind
of started to realize hold on a second, I'm playing good.
I can't do this well. Actually, till the end of
(01:35):
the tournament, I was like, um, can I really do this? Okay,
it wasn't I wasn't that sure. But I think when
I played against Simona, and I I had some doubts
before my before my match because you know in two thousands,
um nateen, she beat me in like less than fifteen minutes.
(01:56):
So um, I was scared that the situation is gonna
We're gonna have the same situation again. But then actually
I saw how much progress I've I've made and how
um mentally I'm stronger and stronger, and also I have
weapons against uh, like the best players. So during that Madge,
I think I gained much more confidence. And uh, you know,
(02:20):
when I was playing semifinal and quarterfinal, it was pretty
weird because I was higher ranked than my opponents and
it's not like usual for me on on Grand Slams.
It wasn't so so you know, I just I want
with Simona, and she was basically, uh, the one I
(02:40):
thought is going to win the tournament, So the expectations
were a little bit higher, like from the outside, but um,
Dicky was to just keep our routines and not think
about the expectations, just you know, doing the same stuff
with it. At the beginning of tournaments, when you look
back at the final US in the morning, what did
(03:02):
you feel? Nervous, excited, confident, calm um. You know, I
was just in a tournament mood, so I wasn't really
thinking about emotions, just about you know, was my next
thing to do. Like, you know, I got a warm
up before my practice and practiced and some food and
(03:22):
actually I didn't have like much time to overthink stuff.
So yeah, I was giving my routines. I think I
was more nervous on a final than on my previous matches.
But actually, uh, when when Sophia took the medical time out,
um and I was alone on court in like second set,
(03:43):
I started I started having fun with the audience and
that's really that really helped me because I was stressed
at the beginning, and then um, I was just you
know having fun and enjoying that. So yeah, talking about
the fans, how much it means to to play in
front of the French crowd. Obviously going back now this year,
it's gonna be amazing experience. Well, we're gonna see with
(04:08):
the COVID restrictions, are it's gonna go. Um, for sure,
we're not gonna have uh full stadiums, but um it's
it's always nice just to have a little bit of
that because we kind of got used to the new
reality and playing with with no crowds and um, I
don't like it. Actually I saw anyone likes it. Yeah. Well,
(04:31):
I mean sometimes for me it was easier to because
I didn't get so many factors and I could actually
rest and and focus, um like between matches. And staying
in the bubble also helps sometimes because you know, you
can just stay in bad and you don't have you
don't have to go anywhere, so so that's nice and
that's helpful with resting. But um, at the end, you know,
(04:55):
I saw an Australian open that when I played a
night session, they we helped me. The audience and the
Polish fans that came out and they were screaming. They
gave me so much energy that uh um, yeah, I
missed that. So hopefully we're gonna have better situations. And
now I don't know if you are one of uh
(05:17):
as me one of the members of the Superstitious club.
If so, are there any things that you're already looking
forward to do this year in Paris that you did
last year that kind of helped you. Um, I'm not superstitious,
but I'd like to keep my routines, as I said, so, uh,
but actually on every tournament, I have different routines. So uh,
(05:39):
you know, we're just gonna see how it's gonna look like.
I mean, I've never been on a tournament as a
defending champion, so, um, it's a nice problem, that's true. Um,
but you know it's still a new experience and uh,
we're gonna see because I can approach this, um like
(06:00):
this problem, um in two ways. It can give me,
like a lot of motivation and everything, but it can
also stress me. So it's good that I have a
psychologists on my team and she's gonna be there and
we're gonna, you know, work on everything that's gonna come
to us. Well, I'm glad you mentioned that because that's
one of the questions I'm looking forward the most. And
(06:23):
whenever I commented your matches or I get to talk
about you, I give you as the best example for
young generations how you go about you know, the whole
social media stuff, the mobiles and all that. Um, how
important do you think it is in professional sports to
be able to turn off that outside noise and really
focus on what really matters. Well, I think it depends
(06:47):
on on a person. And for me, it's like the
best pattern to do because when I'm at home, I
have so many things to do right now, I mean
before as well, because I had school and I I
finished high school. Normally I didn't go to you know,
internest going or something. It's not like a great achievement,
(07:07):
but things, well, I know I did the same thing.
I couldn't like change the timing or whatever. And I
think it's so important yeah for me as well. So yeah,
so I have so many things to do at home
that I actually like going on tournaments and you know,
just cut off everything because um, yeah, I'm I'm staying
(07:29):
that kind of bubble, not COVID bubble, but my bubble were, um,
where I can just actually rest and focus on myself
and yeah, just you know, be ready for for matches.
And that's my actually only applications before tournament, and that's
that's like less than I have at home. So actually
(07:51):
tournaments sometimes I'm resting more than when I have breaks.
Well while done on that, because I think you are
the best example of that, really proud of you. I'm
still actually learning how to do that properly. And uh
yeah right now when my life like changed completely. It's
also hard to switch from these two modes when you
(08:11):
are doing everything in a hurry and then you have
a lot of time in the tournament. But I tried
to do some some nice stuff that's gonna keep me,
you know, relaxed, so hopefully talking about how much life
has changed. We all know that, you know, doing well,
there are some benefits. What has been like the coolest
(08:32):
thing that you got to do or meet someone or
someone wrote to you that you thought, oh my gosh,
this is really awesome. Well, I think the messages I
got from um like famous people that was that was
on the top of the list. Well, I can't really
name one person because there were people from Poland and
(08:55):
so it is in Poland, and also you know the
like tennis society, but you know, like the legends as
you know, the labor or um. There were like a
lot of messages and actually I right after de tournament,
I couldn't read all of them, but it was really
amazing to see that, you know, my work has been
(09:19):
appreciated that way. Um, But actually I think the the
best things are are yet to come. Because I didn't
really have much time to you know, rest. I had
to prepare for the next season, and um, when I
have some time off, I'm doing my driver's license. So
I still have some some stuff to do. And I
(09:41):
think after this season and basically after Olympics, we're gonna
rest a little bit more and and go on some
nice vacations. Those are the real problems having to do
our driving license. Well, actually it was pretty hard because
I wanted to do it as farst as I can,
so when I'm empting eighteen in Europe. But you know,
(10:02):
I had graduation from high school, then COVID came and
actually right now I'm almost twenty and I don't have it.
So yeah, well you better hurry up. It'sn't well so okay,
Well I hope next time I see you you already
have it. So anyways, Um, lastly, um, one of the
most impressive things that I think about you is that
(10:25):
you know, one thing is to do in Roland Arrows
and a grandson title, but then to be able to
back it up with amazing results and being super solid. Um.
You know the months following that that's probably sometimes even harder. Well,
don't be perfectional, but it's been. It's been great. But
what do you think, Um, the key to that is
(10:46):
to to keep up with that consistency. Well, like you know,
in my opinion, I'm not still consistent, so so we
have a lot of work to do. And actually, UM,
like it's harder for me to do with my expectations
than people's expectations. And seeing how I played on round girls,
(11:08):
it gave me like the thing that, oh, wow, I
can play a great tennis, So why aren't I um
doing that on on every tournament? You know, And sometimes
I have thoughts like that, But it's also a new
situations that I have to adjust to, and I think
I have. Um. I had a great run in Adelaide,
(11:30):
and also I was trying open. It was a good
tournament for me, even though I lost in the fourth round.
You know, some people may think that she wanted grandson
so she should be in semifinals and finals, but fourth
round it's still a good, uh, good result for me. Um.
And you know every match I lost I had, I
have Um, I know what I should work on. And
(11:53):
I lost with really like um solid players and they
had great, great matches, uh that they so, um yeah,
I have nothing to like regret, um to have regad about.
But um, I'm we're still working to be more consistent
and I think I'm not on that level yet and
(12:13):
I think it takes um even sometimes a few years
too to achieve that. So that's my like, you know,
go for the whole career basically, Well, good luck with that,
and I must not leave before um, since Paris is
the fashion capital, ask you, now that you are doing
obviously much more photo shoots and being more in the spotlight,
(12:35):
how much your relationship to fashion has changed over the
last couple of months. Um, well, the thing is done.
I'm I do have like a lot of knowledge about fashion. Um.
So like when I'm saying, actually, like Naomi doing all
the projects and everything, Uh, well I really respect that
(12:55):
because that's that's that that part of life that I'm
not really I don't have much knowledge about. So I think, Um,
I had some good choices, like the dress I wore
after a French open too, Uh a trophy photo? Should
I think that was? That was a good choice. But um, thanks,
(13:17):
but well I still have have to improve in that.
So you're doing more more than fine, I can sense. Uh,
it's the first time we meet that you are in
the perfectionist club like I used to be. Yeah, yeah,
I go ahead, go ahead. No, I just wanted to
(13:39):
say that it's not easy always to uh to develop
in fashion area when you're a sports person, because you're
always wearing sports stuff and you know when you're gonna
when you want to be comfortable as well wearing sports stuff.
So I don't worry. You have plenty of time for
the fire you retired, then you can explore all of it. Um,
(14:04):
and it got super Lastly, UM, I have to say,
first time I got asked to describe your style of play,
I said, you remind me the combination of Martina Hingis,
Agir Advantska and Jennifer Capriati. Does any of that drink
bell do you? And did you admire any of these
players growing up? Um? Yes, well, I mean, um, of course,
(14:30):
I I know their history. I didn't actually haven't like
Idol when I was growing up, so that's kind of
weird in my case, But I think that's why you're
the combination. Well okay, but can you explain more like
which parts of um so because of because of your
timing and the easy power and at the same time
(14:53):
the anticipation like Martina that you can see what the
player is gonna do before actually do it, and the
explosiveness of Jennifer. So that's why I put it like that. Okay, Well,
now I can actually describe my game. It's hard from
(15:14):
my perspective to to see who I'm playing like, so,
so that's really nice really say that I reappiate it now,
that's that's how I feel it, how I how I
see it. And I have to say I'm one of
your biggest biggest fans because it's really cool to see
your style in in women's tennis. So thank you so
so much for your time, IgA, and I wish you
(15:36):
amazing moments in two in Roland Garros, which is coming
up very soon, and good luck with you defending your title. Well,
we gonna see how that's gonna go, but I'm looking
forward to it. Thank you very much. Thanks Hi there.
(16:00):
I hope you have enjoyed today's episode of the Real
DNA podcast. Don't forget to subscribe either on Spotify Apple Podcast,
or wherever you get your podcasts from m HM
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It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.