"Have you played on each of these surfaces?" - Iga Swiatek confronts journalist over question on her clay dominance not translating to other surfaces

Iga Swiatek was left incredulous over a question regarding why her dominance on claycourts hasn't extended to other surfaces. She challenged the journalist, questioning their firsthand experience with the surfaces they were discussing so confidently.

Swiatek has enjoyed a stellar Eurpean claycourt season in the lead-up to her title defense at the French Open. After a run to the semifinals of the Stuttgart Open, the Pole clinched her maiden Madrid Open title with a hard-fought 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

In a rematch of their thrilling Madrid Open clash, the duo faced off in the Italian Open final. The World No. 1 dominated the encounter on this occasion, beating Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 29 minutes to win her second consecutive WTA 1000 title and third in Rome.

Heading into the French Open as the top seed and two-time defending champion, Iga Swiatek will be on the hunt for her fourth Roland Garros crown.

Following her win over Aryna Sabalenka, the 22-year-old was asked about her perceived disproportionate success on clay despite the surfaces being 'much more similar' in the modern game.

The four-time Grand Slam champion expressed disbelief at the suggestion that all surfaces play similarly, questioning whether the journalist really believed that to be true.

"You think the surfaces are the same?" she said during her post-match press conference.

In response, the journalist pointed out that Swiatek doesn't have the same win-rate on other surfaces compared to clay, prompting the Pole to question whether the journalist has personal experience of playing on each surface.

"Have you played on each of these surfaces?" Iga Swiatek questioned. "Have you played on each of these surfaces you're talking about?"

When pressed further about her comparitively lower success outside of clay, the World No. 1 emphasized that all surfaces are very different from each other.

"Because they're different. Because the surfaces are different," she said.

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Iga Swiatek on her French Open 2024 chances amid her dominance on clay: "Obviously I am confident, but I really want to stay humble and focused"

Iga Swiatek won the 2023 French Open

During the same press conference, Iga Swiatek was asked about her confidence level heading into the 2024 French Open, given her dominant display during the clay season.

While the Pole expressed confidence regarding her chances based on current form, she emphasized her determination to remain humble and focused on gradual progress.

"Well, obviously I am confident. I feel like I'm playing great tennis. But it doesn't change the fact that I really want to stay humble and really focused on getting everything step by step," she said.

The 22-year-old also pointed out the unique pressure of Grand Slam events, expressing her determination to maintain the same level of dedication as in her successful campaigns in Rome and Madrid.

"Grand Slams are different. There is different pressure on the court and off the court. For sure, I love to come to Paris again and be there. It's a great place for me to be. I really enjoy my time there anyway," Iga Swiatek said.

"These are hard seven matches that you need to win, so I don't take anything for granted. I'll just work hard as I did in Madrid and Rome and we'll see," she added.

Iga Swiatek will face a formidable challenge from Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open, as the Belarusian hilariously expressed her intention to avenge her Italian Open defeat to the Pole in the final of the upcoming claycourt Major if they meet.