Iga Swiatek says she is trying to be more accepting of the conditions and her surroundings as she looks to re-establish the magic of her mid-season breakthrough winning streak. The Pole took a positive step forward in the Tuesday afternoon heat as she moved past Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-3, 6-0 to reach the second round of the US Open.
The second set was Swiatek’s 18th 6-0 of the 2022 season. Only Serena Williams, who won 25 sets by the score of 6-0 in 2013, has won more in a single season.
Swiatek said: “I’m closer to accepting than in two previous tournaments, so that’s pretty nice. I know the conditions are tough but also the US Open being the fourth grand slam of the season, you can see that this season, we already played for eight months. So I think that you can feel more frustration. But honestly, it’s much, much better for me, because I did hard work to chill out.”
Earlier in the day Garbiñe Muguruza reached the second round with a 6-3, 7-6 (5) win over Clara Tauson of Denmark, saving three set points in the second set. It is a rare victory for the Spaniard in what has been the worst season of her career since her breakthrough.
Muguruza appeared to have set herself up for a great year after winning the WTA Finals in Guadalajara last November but she has instead compiled a dire 10-14 record this year and she has not won consecutive matches since February.
“I think this is a year where I’m feeling the toll of many years on tour,” she said, “but I’m going through, trying to have a smile and knowing that I have had great years. This might not be the best year of my career but still here and still competing.”
In the men’s draw the No 3 seed, Carlos Alcaraz, reached the second round after Sebastián Báez of Argentina retired in the third set. The pair had played two intense and high-quality sets on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the Spaniard leading 7-5, 7-5, 2-0, before Báez succumbed to the heat.