"I deserve 2 months of vacation": Iga Swiatek jokes about beating Aryna Sabalenka in 3-hour Madrid final; shares Italian Open plans 

Iga Swiatek recently said that she would love to either take a break from her tight schedule on the WTA Tour or treat herself to her favorite dessert following an arduous Madrid Open final.

The Pole needed three hours and 11 minutes to fight past Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) to win her third title of the 2024 season. She will next play at the Italian Open, which begins on May 7.

Speaking to WTA Insider, Iga Swiatek jokingly insisted that she deserved "at least two months of vacation" following her exploits in Madrid. Considering she can't take a break from a mandatory tournament, she asserted tongue-in-cheek that she would like to have six tiramisus in Rome as compensation.

"I feel, like, after such a match, I deserve at least two months of vacation," Iga Swiatek said on the WTA Insider podcast (8:13). "I can't have that, I'll trade it for six tiramisus or something."

Furthermore, the 22-year-old maintained that she is in a race against time to be physically fit for the Italian Open. She also admitted that she might have a hard time adapting to the claycourts there, which play slower than the ones in Madrid.

"I think recovery, but it doesn't feel like something I need to do. It just has to happen," she said regarding her plan for the next few days (8:34). "I don't have much influence on the scheduling and everything, so I think recovering and adjusting to the courts because they are different. It's slower, so I would say same changes as before any other tournament."

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Iga Swiatek on not having Aryna Sabalenka's "vision" during practice

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka pose during the trophy ceremony in Madrid

Iga Swiatek also talked about whether Aryna Sabalenka, her biggest rival on the WTA Tour, motivates her to play better during the interview with the WTA Insider.

"Well, I wouldn't say I have this vision like she has. I'm not thinking about her when I'm practicing or something," Swiatek said on the WTA Insider podcast (6:30). "It's more that I know that the competition is big. And I know if I'm gonna stop for a while, I might be pushed out, you know?"

The World No. 1 will be eager to have a good campaign at the Italian Open this fortnight before she defends her 2023 French Open crown in the coming weeks. She is a two-time champion in Rome (2021, 2022).

Last year, Swiatek suffered a quarterfinal defeat at the hands of eventual champion Elena Rybakina.