Iga Świątek dominated proceedings against Jessica Pegula at the Italian Open on Wednesday to make her first WTA Tour semifinal since September. During her post-match press conference, the Pole had a terse exchange with a reporter about her recent run of form.
Świątek will face the winner of Elena Rybakina’s clash against Elina Svitolina in the Italian Open semifinals on Thursday.
Iga Świątek Has Curt Response To Question About Her Form After Dominant Win Over Jessica Pegula
After a difficult start to the season, Świątek seems to have finally found her groove in Rome. She claimed an impressive 6-1, 6-2 win over Pegula on Wednesday, securing her place in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament.
Świątek was asked during her post-match press conference whether she is back to her best after struggling for the last few months. After she gave a sarcastic response, she was asked whether they could hope for a fourth title in Rome for the 24-year-old.
Here’s how the terse exchange played out.
Reporter – You’re coming back, can we say you’re coming back for victories?
Świątek – Where was I?
Reporter – The first semifinal in the year. You’ve won here three times.
Świątek – Yeah, good stats.
Reporter – We can hope for a fourth triumph here?
Świątek – Sorry?
Reporter – I can hope for your fourth triumph here in Rome?
Świątek – It’s good to have hope, so thank you.
A video of the exchange was later shared by a fan on social media.
she’s so annoying 😭 https://t.co/uwURZbAls2 pic.twitter.com/TfKcPfvGuL
— Ada (@littleold_ada) May 13, 2026
Świątek arrived in Rome facing more uncertainty following a slow start to the clay-court season. She lost in the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and withdrew from her third-round match in Madrid due to illness.
But the six-time Grand Slam champion is showcasing her clay-court expertise in Rome, and has lost just seven games across her last three matches. She needed just over an hour to dispatch Pegula, one of the most consistent players on the WTA Tour. And there are increasing signs that she may be close to returning to her best under the guidance of new head coach Francisco Roig.
“I’ve been playing a bit differently, I would say. More similar to how I played couple years ago, more like a clay court player. All the things that we practiced have really clicked during last few matches,” she said about her recent form during the press conference.
Świątek will now have her sights set on winning the Italian Open for a fourth time to put herself in a strong position ahead of the French Open. Her last title on clay came at Roland Garros in 2024.
