'I could practice and I could go out for five hours': Iga Swiatek on 14-day quarantine

French Open champion Iga Swiatek saw the 14-day quarantine period as a source of relief allowing her to escape the limelight that followed her Roland Garros triumph last year.

Swiatek became an overnight celebrity in Poland after winning the French Open. The 19-year-old was bombarded with sponsorship deals and a deluge of media requests.

The 14-day quarantine before the Australian Open comes as a sigh of relief for the Polish ace as she could practice and could go out by herself.

"During quarantine, I could practice and I could go out for five hours a day. I was one of the lucky ones," Swiatek said. "It was okay. I mean, after all the fuss that was in Poland, it was nice to be in another place, rest, focus on working.

"Obviously I sometimes needed to go out, to breathe some fresh air, but I couldn't do that. It's not a problem. I'm really glad that we have a chance to play, to do what we love."

The world number 54 came under limelight after she became the youngest woman to win the French Open since Monica Seles in 1992. Talking about her newly-found celebrity status, Swiatek said: "It's not bothering. It's nice."

"Right now I feel like there are more eyes on me," she said.

"I don't feel more pressure than before. I'm trying to keep my expectations low," she added.

(Inputs from Reuters)