Let her cook: Iga Swiatek wins on court, in kitchen at Indian Wells

Does anyone know where Iga Swiatek can procure some fresh tuna in Palm Springs?

In between blitzing opponents at the BNP Paribas Open, the two-time champion is making the most of her off-court time in the California desert, indulging a new hobby inspired by her love of reading.

“I'm reading this book about cooking,” Swiatek explained after her opening round victory over Caroline Garcia, “so I tried some new things on this trip since we have a house and we have, like, a huge kitchen and it's very comfortable.

“I found this recipe for pasta with, like, lemon sauce and tuna,” added the former world No. 1. “I want to buy tuna, but I've never bought tuna, so that's why I'm kind of thinking where should I go? But like a raw tuna. It has to be good.”

But before attempting an entrée, Swiatek, who has dropped just games in her first two matches, started with breakfast.

“The cooking has been going great,” she said, updating the press after an equally impressive win over Dayana Yastremska. “I did, like, a baked oatmeal, which looks better on picture than it tastes, you know. I don't know.

“The oatmeal was fine. I just needed to add a lot of yogurt. I know my friends tell me that I did it wrong, that I should have blended the oats before but I didn't. I don't know. I'll have to try again probably.”

Swiatek shared what one could reasonably infer to be the pasta she promised on Instagram Saturday, ultimately begging off on the tuna expedition. But is this the start of a new off-court passion for Swiatek, who typically spends her free time reading, building Legos, and bingeing millennial-era TV shows?

“I wouldn't say, it's not on a level yet to be a hobby,” confirmed Swiatek. “I'm just trying things out because I have a good kitchen here. Usually I'm too lazy to do that or I don't have time. It's just because I'm a bit bored.

“I still feel like I'm bad at cooking. So, I'll probably stick to my oatmeals and just being able to make a breakfast and that's it, because that's the only thing I can do.”

The ever-modest 23-year-old will face either Karolina Muchova or Katerina Siniakova for the chance to make a fourth straight quarterfinal at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.