Iga Swiatek has shown her dominance in every match so far at the US Open. Once she is on the court, her opponents find taking her out of the zone tough. Swiatek has been unstoppable; even her close friend on tour was not spared at the event. She defeated qualifier Kaja Juvan in a one-sided match. Kaja has been playing alongside since their junior years and has seen her friend rise on the tour.
Swiatek had played Kaja twice before in 2021; there was a bit of difficulty for Swiatek in both matches. But with this time, it was game over for the world No.145. After the match, Swiatek said, “I didn’t like the fact I was kind of winning against my best friend. I knew I had to be focused & not let myself think about that.” Even though on the court she was tough on her friend off-court, Swiatek turned emotional after the victory.
Iga Swiatek on playing her best friend Kaja Juvan:
“I didn’t like the fact I was kind of winning against my best friend. I knew I had to be focused & not let myself think about that. Playing her is like playing a sister. I don’t have many friends but she’s my best friend” 🥹 pic.twitter.com/pP1ZvnbEXu
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 1, 2023
At no point in the match did the odds switch sides as Kaja lost with a scoreline of 6-0, 6-1. But it was all good as both players shared a warm hug at the net. The friends were happy to play each other after a gap of two years.
Swiatek hugs her best friend on tour Kaja Juvan at the US Open.
Iga just served up a bagel & a breadstick to 1 of her closest friends on tour.
There’s no mercy in tennis.
You have to give it your all, no matter who you’re playing.
No hard feelings. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/NYRNSAY3Ia
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 1, 2023
Kaja had to play two long matches at the qualifiers before entering the main draw. She knocked out 29th seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the opening round of the US Open. The Slovenian could not match the firepower of her best friend in the third round. Swiatek will face a tricky opponent in the fourth round as she has played three matches against her but has only won a single set in those three outings.
Iga Swiatek looking to polish her record at the US Open
Swiatek has proved why she’s the top player on the WTA tour in the last three matches. She already has recorded two bagels in this year’s US Open. As Novak Djokovic said, her champion mindset and warrior spirit have helped her reach peak performance in every match. She will most need it in the next match as she faces Jelena Ostapenko, an opponent she has yet to defeat.
Swiatek has so far hit 64 winners in three matches. She only hit five unforced errors in her match against Kaja. Swiatek’s defense has been over the top, as Kaja could only hit two winners. The Polish player only spent 49 minutes in the third round and has a day for the fourth-round match. Ostapenko always goes for the kill, and the world No.1 will try her best to keep the ball in play as long as possible.
Quarterfinals are on the line! pic.twitter.com/7ubC5Ax8Ms
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 1, 2023
The current forecast heavily favors Swiatek, while the Latvian has lost three sets on her way to the fourth round. The defending champion was brutal against her friend and will have to play the same game against Ostapenko. The 20th seed will play to record a fourth consecutive victory over her opponent. On the other hand, Swiatek will look to register a personal milestone and keep the big picture in mind.
