By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Photo credit: Cincinnati Open Facebook
NEW YORK—Iga Swiatek talked Swift after a speedy start to this US Open.
Reigning Wimbledon winner Swiatek needed only 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 percent, won 23 of 26 first-serve points and did not face a break point in the first-round demolition.
Launching her quest to become the first woman since legendary Serena Williams in 2012 to win Wimbledon and US Open in the same season, Swiatek spent much of her post-match presser addressing several questions on Taylor Swift, one of her musical muses.
To briefly recap the Swift inquiries: Swiatek endorses Taylor’s relationship with Travis Kelce, hopes they find everlasting happiness but has not yet pre-ordered the singer’s new album.
On court, the six-time Grand Slam champion continues to tune up opponents.
Swiatek scored her 15th win in her last 16 matches following her maiden Wimbledon championship and surge to the Cincinnati Open crown earlier this month where she did not surrender a set in five match wins. Her lone loss since June came to Clara Tauson in Montreal. Tauson cannot threaten Swiatek in New York as Filipina Alexandra Eala upset the Dane in the US Open first round on Sunday.
The second-seeded Swiatek said the US Open was the toughest of her six majors to capture and she’s trying to navigate the demands of busy, noisy New York to make another run at the title this year.
“Yeah, I mean, in 2022 it’s not like I played amazing from the beginning,” Swiatek said. “It was probably the toughest slam that I had to overcome a lot of challenges, and I managed to win it.
“So, yeah, every year is kind of tough, because New York is just so loud, you know, and it’s hard to find that balance off the court. But I’ve got to say I’m probably good at it compared to other players, so I’m really trying to be in my bubble.
“The comfort level, it’s hard to describe, because the tournament is so long. You basically are here for three weeks. So obviously it’s not going to be the same every day. I feel, you know, pretty happy with my performance in Cincinnati and trying to get, you know, some confidence from that. Yeah, there are a lot of positive vibes in the team, so it’s all good.”
So far, so good on North American hard courts for Swiatek, who will play Suzan Lamens in round two. Should Swiatek advance to round three she could face Anna Kalinskaya, who beat the Pole 6-4, 6-4 at the 2024 Dubai before the Wimbledon champion gained straight-sets revenge in Cincinnati this month.
Though she wasn’t required to do much sliding today, Swiatek shared she wears a new pair of On sneakers for each match and said her hard-court slides are shorter than sliding on clay.
Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters is one of the first top women to perfect the art of the slide on hard court and Swiatek said typically her slides are abbreviated on the Flushing Meadows hard courts.
“Well, I’m not changing anything in terms of the decision or the way I slide, but for sure the slide is
going to be different,” Swiatek said. “It’s going to be shorter, and you’re going to kind of feel the grip more.
“So, like, the effect is going to be different and it’s all about the timing and knowing when exactly you’re going to stop.”
