By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Picture credit score: Cincinnati Open Fb
NEW YORK—Iga Swiatek talked Swift after a speedy begin to this US Open.
Reigning Wimbledon winner Swiatek wanted solely an hour to blow by Emiliana Arango, 6-1, 6-2 in her US Open opener on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
A speedy Swiatek was suffocating from the baseline and on serve. Swiatek served 62 %, gained 23 of 26 first-serve factors and didn’t face a break level within the first-round demolition.
Launching her quest to grow to be the primary lady since legendary Serena Williams in 2012 to win Wimbledon and US Open in the identical season, Swiatek spent a lot of her post-match presser addressing a number of questions on Taylor Swift, considered one of her musical muses.
To briefly recap the Swift inquiries: Swiatek endorses Taylor’s relationship with Travis Kelce, hopes they discover eternal happiness however has not but pre-ordered the singer’s new album.
On court docket, the six-time Grand Slam champion continues to tune up opponents.
Swiatek scored her fifteenth win in her final 16 matches following her maiden Wimbledon championship and surge to the Cincinnati Open crown earlier this month the place she didn’t give up a set in 5 match wins. Her lone loss since June got here to Clara Tauson in Montreal. Tauson can’t threaten Swiatek in New York as Filipina Alexandra Eala upset the Dane within the US Open first spherical on Sunday.
The second-seeded Swiatek mentioned the US Open was the hardest of her six majors to seize and he or she’s making an attempt to navigate the calls for of busy, noisy New York to make one other run on the title this 12 months.
“Yeah, I imply, in 2022 it’s not like I performed superb from the start,” Swiatek mentioned. “It was most likely the hardest slam that I needed to overcome a variety of challenges, and I managed to win it.
“So, yeah, yearly is form of powerful, as a result of New York is simply so loud, you already know, and it’s exhausting to seek out that steadiness off the court docket. However I’ve received to say I’m most likely good at it in comparison with different gamers, so I’m actually making an attempt to be in my bubble.
“The consolation degree, it’s exhausting to explain, as a result of the event is so lengthy. You principally are right here for 3 weeks. So clearly it’s not going to be the identical every single day. I really feel, you already know, fairly proud of my efficiency in Cincinnati and making an attempt to get, you already know, some confidence from that. Yeah, there are a variety of optimistic vibes within the staff, so it’s all good.”
To this point, so good on North American exhausting courts for Swiatek, who will play Suzan Lamens in spherical two. Ought to Swiatek advance to spherical three she might face Anna Kalinskaya, who beat the Pole 6-4, 6-4 on the 2024 Dubai earlier than the Wimbledon champion gained straight-sets revenge in Cincinnati this month.
Although she wasn’t required to do a lot sliding in the present day, Swiatek shared she wears a brand new pair of On sneakers for every match and mentioned her hard-court slides are shorter than sliding on clay.
Corridor of Famer Kim Clijsters is likely one of the first prime ladies to excellent the artwork of the slide on exhausting court docket and Swiatek mentioned usually her slides are abbreviated on the Flushing Meadows exhausting courts.
“Effectively, I’m not altering something when it comes to the choice or the way in which I slide, however for positive the slide is
going to be completely different,” Swiatek mentioned. “It’s going to be shorter, and also you’re going to form of really feel the grip extra.
“So, like, the impact goes to be completely different and it’s all concerning the timing and understanding when precisely you’re going to cease.”
