Iga Swiatek after her Wimbledon 2r win over Vera Zvonareva: "I felt good on the court, I was in a good rhythm and I could dominate"

Seventh seed Iga Swiatek sailed into the third round of Wimbledon 2021 with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over former finalist Vera Zvonareva on Wednesday.

Swiatek had clinched her maiden win at the All England Club earlier this week, and is looking sharp for a deep run into the tournament. The Pole hasn't lost a set so far, and would be hoping to continue that streak in her third-round encounter against World No. 79 Irina-Camelia Begu.

In her post-match press conference on Wednesday, the 20-year-old described how she gained confidence from her first-round win (over Hsieh Su-wei), and how aggression has been the key to her success this week.

"From the beginning I tried to play aggressively," Swiatek said. "The first round gave me a lot of confidence. I feel like I'm a little run up. I felt good on the court, I was in a good rhythm and I could dominate."

The 20-year-old went on to claim that playing against an "experienced opponent" like Zvonareva was not easy, and that she wasn't quite sure how to go about the match at the start.

"Each match gives me the opportunity to gain more confidence," Swiatek added. "I am quite happy with my performance because playing against an experienced opponent is never easy. At first I didn't know what to expect. She has many years of playing on the grass, and I actually only have two."

"I feel more and more at ease from match to match" - Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek

A former junior champion at Wimbledon, Iga Swiatek is now looking to find her feet on the grasscourts of SW19 as a professional player. She opened up about how she has been feeling on the surface that rewards instinctive tennis, and revealed that she is relieved to still be in the tournament.

"I feel more and more at ease from match to match," the Pole said. "Today I played some very fast balls. The grass is the surface that allows you to play intuitively. Sometimes there is little time to consider many options, and the most convenient or effective option is used."

"I am glad that I have the opportunity to learn something new and that I am still in the tournament," she added. "I'm glad I wasn't stopped in the first two rounds."

Swiatek also expressed her appreciation for the organizational aspects of Wimbledon, and the way that all the pandemic protocols have been enforced.

"The courts are very pleasing to the eye, the facility is great," the 20-year-old said. "Today I discovered a second locker room that is just gorgeous. Everything is perfectly organized when it comes to COVID protocols. We also have very good conditions in the hotel."