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Swiatek snaps back at Beijing Presser after question on personality and rankings

Originally posted on HITC | By Cameron Greenlees | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 8:02 AM ET

Iga Swiatek kept her momentum going in Asia with a solid performance in her China Open opener.

Fresh off her win at the Korean Open, Swiatek kicked off her Beijing campaign by defeating Yue Yuan 6-0, 6-3.

The first set bagel also moved the Pole to 24 on the year, and she now holds the record for most bagels in WTA 1000 events since the format began.

Swiatek responds to pressure comments

Despite what was overall a strong performance, Iga appeared agitated by a question about handling pressure during her post-match press conference. She gave a firm response when asked if she felt pressured to maintain this level of play:

“I mean, you say ‘I need to’, like who?” she replied. “There’s no point in thinking that way.”

A reporter put this question to Swiatek: “Iga, watching you over the last few years, to me it looks like in the last maybe year, 18 months, you seem to have changed a bit in your personality when you’re playing a match.

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“It just seems to come across that there is more animation, a bit more aggression. Would that be fair to say?

“If that’s the case, do you think that has also maybe come about since Aryna took over the No. 1 ranking and you’re showing more determination to get that back?”

Iga Swiatek replied: “Well, thank you for overanalysing, but… No, like, I don’t even know how to answer that ’cause no. I’m not a different person because I’m No. 2.

“I’m not behaving differently because I’m No. 2. Like, I don’t think about it every day. I don’t think about it especially during the match when I have work to do.

“I think maybe…whatever…I’m different because I’m older or more experienced or sometimes whatever. But the rankings have nothing to do with that…Oh okay there are tournaments when maybe at the beginning of the year when I posted this Instagram explanation and I was thinking about No. 1 maybe a little bit too much.”

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The Polish star finished off her point by saying: “But yeah this is just like a moment or few weeks it’s never going to be like your personality on court is changing because of something like that in my opinion because that would be weird and have too much impact on you and it wouldn’t be healthy.”

25 – Since the format’s introduction in 2009, Iga Swiatek is the first player to register 25+ wins at WTA-1000 events in three consecutive seasons and three seasons overall. Leader. #ChinaOpen | @ChinaOpen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/M4Zu8AU8Yz
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) September 27, 2025

Iga Swiatek becomes first player ever to achieve this WTA 1000 feat in Beijing

The current world number one was put up against Camila Osorio in the next round and managed another straight-set victory after beating Camila Osorio 6-4 7-5.

That year she picked up wins in Doha and Indian Wells before going on a long win streak throughout the calendar year.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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