U.S. Open Day Four Recap: Swiatek Eases Into Third Round, Winning 19th Straight Major Second Round Match
World number one Iga Swiatek wasted no time securing her place in the U.S. Open third round on Thursday as she knocked off Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-0, 6-1 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Swiatek has now won 19 straight second-round matches at Grand Slams, becoming the fifth player in the Open Era to achieve that feat, joining Martina Navratilova, Stefanie Graf, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez.
“For sure I used yesterday to practice a little bit and get my rhythm,” Swiatek said. “I felt like I can play in a much more solid way, and I was making for sure better decisions [today].”
Swiatek committed just six unforced errors in a match that lasted just over an hour. She never faced a break point and won 81 percent of the points on her first serve.
“It’s not like I need to do that much work because I kind of have the tools, but sometimes it’s just hard to use them. I couldn’t really focus well on my first-round match, and I wanted to improve that,” she added. “I gave myself time and acceptance that it may not be perfect, but step by step I can, yeah, as you said, have better focus and have better mindset. Today it was for sure a little bit better.”
In the third round, Swiatek will take on 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia.
Caroline Wozniacki moved past Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-3, 6-3 inside Louis Armstrong Stadium on Thursday night to book her spot in the third-round.
“I love playing out here in night sessions on the biggest courts. That’s what we train for every single day,” said Wozniacki. “I love the atmosphere here, the buzz of the city, and I love that people stay out late. I love that it’s the biggest venue in tennis. It’s a big party every year and only getting bigger.”
Wozniacki will continue her party against France’s Jessika Ponchet, who advanced after Elena Rybakina withdrew from the tournament.
In the first match of the night session inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, last year’s semifinalist Karolina Muchova knocked out two-time champion Naomi Osaka 6-3, 7-6(5).
“[It was] a tough match. [I’m] really happy that I was able to finish in two sets,” said Muchova. “Really tough battle and really nice atmosphere. I didn’t these matches for a bit, so I’m just really happy with the win today.”
Muchova faces off against Russia’s Anastasia Potopova next.
