Iga Swiatek kept it simple when asked for her game plan against Zheng Qinwen in Indian Wells, saying that she will need to analyze well what she did wrong in their last meeting and hopefully do better this time.
Between mid-2022 and early 2024, the 23-year-old and the 22-year-old Chinese played six times, with the Polish tennis star winning all of those meetings.
But then, Zheng beat Swiatek in the Pole's most successful place, upsetting the world No. 2 6-2 7-5 in the Paris Olympics semifinal. While it wasn't a French Open match, it was still the first loss for the Pole on the clay courts of Roland Garros since 2021.
Half a year later, they are set to meet again, this time on the hard courts of Indian Wells.
"I guess Qinwen... I need to learn from our last match and see also how she plays right now because it's been a while since we played," the five-time Grand Slam champion noted when asked about facing the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist.
Swiatek is on fire ahead of the Zheng clash
Through her opening three matches in the desert, the former world No. 2 has lost a total of six games - she dropped a total of two games in each of her first three clashes.
When asked if the slow and bouncy conditions in Indian Wells favor her, the defending champion didn't hide that she enjoys these conditions.
"I feel for sure like I'm returning well and I'm trying to put pressure on my opponents. But I wouldn't say I change anything or something. So I'm kind of going the same kind of process I always had," Swiatek said ahead of her quarterfinal meeting.
"For sure the court is bouncy. Maybe today a little bit less because it's colder and more humid, you know. But yeah, I think it's an advantage for anybody who spins the ball."
The Pole may have lost to Zheng in their last meeting - but considering her current form - there is no doubt that she is the big favorite to beat the Chinese and reach the Indian Wells semifinal.
