By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday March 17, 2023

When Iga Swiatek pushed back her post match press conference for several hours past the scheduled time on Thursday after defeating Sorana Cirstea in the quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open, many wondered what the issue might have been.



Now we know.

The World No.1 was having a rib injury tended to, and when she took the court for Friday’s blockbuster semifinal against Elena Rybakina, she wasn’t quite at 100 percent.

She opened up to press after Friday’s 6-2 6-2 loss to the Kazakh, saying: “I'm also like not feeling 100 percent physically. I have a little like discomfort in my rib, and we're going to consult with medical team. For sure I'm gonna use these days off before Miami, so actually I have one more day.”

Asked to elaborate on the injury, Swiatek told reporters that she hopes to play in Miami, but still isn’t quite sure of the severity.

“In terms of the rib, we'll see, because I still have to run some tests and see what's going on. I don't know yet,” she said.

Asked if the injury affected her play or was more weighing on her mind, Swiatek said: “It's hard to say. Honestly, I haven't played with a lot of injuries. It's a new situation for me, for sure. Last time I played with an injury, the only tournament I can remember is like Roland Garros 2019 – So I was pretty young.

“For sure, you know, now it's a totally different level. So I feel like going [into] matches you have to be 100 percent fit.”