Iga Swiatek has been incredibly successful at the Indian Wells Open, but she rejects the idea that her success comes solely from the surface.
Tennis players invest considerable effort in honing their skills, and they seek recognition for their capabilities. While preferences for playing conditions vary, Swiatek thrives in the environment of Indian Wells.
It’s one of her most successful tournaments, with the Polish player winning 90% of her matches at Indian Wells. She has performed better only at two other events: the French Open (95%) and the Italian Open (91%), both of which are played on clay.
Swiatek has had less success on hard courts throughout her career, making her strong performances at Indian Wells stand out even more. This year, she has already defeated two opponents, not allowing either more than two games.
She first triumphed over Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-0, and continued her dominance against Dayana Yastremska, beating the Ukrainian 6-0, 6-2.
After the match, the WTA World No. 2 discussed the conditions at Indian Wells and whether they contribute to her topspin. She acknowledged the impact but reiterated that her performance stems from her own efforts, not merely the surface.
“Well, for sure, I feel like it makes it more visible, the topspin that I play. But I still have to play it. So I think, my game, for sure, fits the surface here. But it’s not like it’s going to do all the job.”
Later, facing another question about the surface, Swiatek addressed the notion that her success is “strictly due to the surface,” a claim she has consistently refuted.
“Well, it’s never only about the surface. Like, I could also play to the fence and not win here on the slower surface (smiling). So I guess it’s always — honestly, you can say that about any win at any surface that any player has. It doesn’t really make sense.”
Although visibly annoyed by the recurring question about surface influence on her performance, the 23-year-old did not shy away from further discussing it.
“For sure the surface helps, but it’s not the only thing. You still need to do the job. I’ve always been pretty focused here and also accepting the mistakes that are gonna happen in this dry air. I always had time before to do solid work. It wasn’t like I was rushed anywhere.”
“Sometimes in these one-week tournaments, there is no time to practice, for example. But here, I always have that. I know I just feel comfortable and I found my rhythm also off the court to recover well. I guess it’s a mix of just being happy here and having a good life.”
