By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 28, 2023
Iga Swiatek continued her major first-round dominance dismissing Rebecca Peterson 6-0, 6-1 to score her eighth straight US Open victory.
Photo credit: Pete Staples/USTA/US Open
NEW YORK—Iga Swiatek continues to bring finality to the first round.
The world No. 1 launched her US Open title defense with a statement of intent.
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Swiatek stormed through seven straight games sweeping Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson 6-0, 6-1 to score her eighth straight Flushing Meadows victory.
Swiatek slammed 20 winners compared to two for Peterson and converted five of six break points in a 58-minute thrashing.
”For sure I'm really happy. I feel like, you know, I could play proactively from the beginning and just didn't stop,” Swiatek said. “I'm just happy that this was such a nice first round, because first rounds are usually tricky. Also, I'm happy that I kind of had time to implement all of the stuff that I practiced on.”
The reigning Roland Garros and US Open champion continued her command in openers. Swiatek improved to 18-1 in Grand Slam first rounds, including a 5-0 mark in Flushing Meadows’ first-rounders.
Afterward, Swiatek said focus is a key to her first-round success.
“Sometimes you just feel a little bit more pressure because you're, like, not into rhythm yet and you just kind of have to—like you can get distracted more easily, I feel,” Swiatek said. “I remember when I played my first matches in US Open, I always felt like there is so much going on around, and it was a little bit tougher to focus.
“But this year I didn't feel it, because I practiced couple of times on the center court. Even, you know, with all the kids around, because I think the entry was free and so many people came to watch our practices. It was amazing and I got used to the noise and everything.”
Aiming to defend a hard-court Grand Slam for the first time in her career, Swiatek is also playing to retain the world No. 1 ranking. She must go one round further than world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka to stay in the top spot in a tournament that’s traditionally been tough for defending champions.
Since 2016, one defending champion—2017 champion Sloane Stephens—went as far as the quarterfinals.
The 22-year-old Swiatek will face Australian Daria Saville in the second round.
The 29-year-old Saville stopped American wild card Clervie Ngounoue, the Wimbledon girls’ champion, 6-0, 6-2.
Swiatek topped Saville in their lone prior match at the 2022 Adelaide.
“Honestly, I have to analyze her game, because I think we may have played once before her injuries or surgery that she has. I'm not sure what's her story, you know,” Swiatek said. “But she's a great person. We always, when we pass each other, we say hi and she's really positive.
“So about the game, I can't really say a lot. I will for sure get prepared, but, you know, it really doesn't matter for me. I have my kind of image of tennis that I want to play and show, and I'm just going to try and focus on myself, you know. Every match is, you know, really important. Doesn't matter for me who's gonna be on the other side or what court it's gonna be. I just want to play my best game that's possible any day. Yeah, I'll get ready, for sure.”