Swiatek ready for challenge in Rome: 'I don't expect to be fresh'

“I don’t expect to be fresh,” she told reporters in Rome. “In truth, like when I arrived in Madrid, I was more tired at the start of the tournament after Stuttgart than before the final. It really depends on what the matches are going to be like.

“I know that if I have to stay longer in a tournament, I might also have a few days off where I don’t even practice. We’re trying to plan this differently than previous seasons because we’re worried. These tournaments are longer and it is not possible to have days off before, so sometimes you have to have them during.

Uncharted waters for Swiatek

Even as a now established No. 1 and winner of four Grand Slam titles, Swiatek is discovering new challenges on Tour, including scoring big wins while playing the following week.

This means celebrating a big victory may be brief, but it seems she also enjoys trying to figure out how to navigate uncharted waters.

“We’re still trying to figure it out because we never have,” she said. “I always trained between matches. I mean, my coaches plan it. There’s no point in me focusing on that because I want to win the first matches, and we’ll see what happens after that. If I lose, I’ll get a hundred days off.

“It’s pretty crazy being in Madrid, packing your bags straight after the final and coming here. I’m happy to be here because I love this place. I already practiced today in the morning. It’s funny. Of course, it’s a challenge to adapt. But it’s good to have problems like that.

Swiatek: “We don’t have time to rest properly”

Swiatek recently spoke about trying to play with less pressure, which means treating practice less intensely during these back-to-back events.

“I would say that I give myself time to play tennis in a more relaxed way, without thinking about matches or points, because in reality we don’t have time to rest properly,” she said.

“You also have to take advantage of these days and I treat them a bit like days off. I’m just trying to concentrate on getting used to the bounce…honestly. I also try to use this time as a reset. But I don’t force it.