Iga Swiatek explains what made her win over Caty McNally so tough

Speaking after the match, Swiatek gave her thoughts on how things went.

“For sure, it was a tough match. Caty [McNally] really played great,” she said.

“She was fighting for every ball and played some amazing shots in defence.

“I had to really stay patient.

“Some mistakes happened, especially when she played a bit slower, sometimes with the wind it was hard to adjust to the ball.

“It was not an easy match, but I’m happy I was solid at the end and in the important moments, and I kept it together, and at the end of the match, I was dictating.”

Swiatek went on to discuss what makes Rome such a unique challenge on tour.

“The most important thing is to get used to the conditions and get used to what you cannot do on this court,” she said.

“I remember many tough matches here, especially at the beginning of the tournament.

“You need to stay patient and fight for every point because the court is super slow, especially when it’s a bit colder than usual.

“The court is heavy so it’s hard to finish the rally.

The world No. 1 said that it takes time for players to find their rhythm in Rome but is glad that she already has a win under her belt despite not playing her best tennis.

Iga Swiatek’s next opponent in the Italian Open third round

Swiatek is set to face either Emma Navarro or Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the third round of the Italian Open.

She holds a 2-1 advantage over Navarro in their previous meetings, though it was Navarro who won their most recent clash, which came last year in Beijing.

There’s also some history with Cocciaretto, as the pair met at this same event just a year ago.

No matter who she comes up against, she’ll be looking for a stronger showing than she managed against McNally. The win was hard-fought, and Swiatek knows she’ll need to find another level if she wants to make a deep run in Rome.

Swiatek’s early days with Roig yet to produce results

There was plenty of optimism around Swiatek’s camp when she switched from Wim Fissette to Francisco Roig, with many expecting a quick turnaround on clay.

But the results haven’t backed that up so far.

Under Roig, Swiatek has gone 3-2. A record that she’ll be looking to improve as she continues her campaign in Rome.

She’ll get the chance when she faces either Navarro or Cocciaretto in the third round on Sunday, May 10.