US Open 2022: Swiatek not expecting to replicate 37-match win streak form at Flushing Meadows

Swiatek
reached
the
second
week
at
the
US
Open
for
only
the
second
time
after
Saturday’s
6-3
6-4
win
over
Lauren
Davis
and
has
moved
into
title
favouritism,
creating
a
level
of
perceived
pressure.

That
comes
amid
a
run
of
form
where
the
2020
and
2022
French
Open
champion
has
been
far
from
the
levels
achieved
during
her
37-match
winning
streak
which
ended
in
July
at
the
hands
of
Alize
Cornet
at
Wimbledon.

Since
then,
Swiatek
has
only
won
seven
of
10
matches.
Swiatek’s
victory
over
Davis
marked
the
first
time
since
the
winning
streak
that
she
has
managed
three
straight
victories.

The
Pole’s
hard-court
form
line
has
not
been
compelling
either
but
the
exit
of
Serena
Williams
along
with
top
seeds
Anett
Kontaveit,
Maria
Sakkari,
Paula
Badosa
and
Simona
Halep
has
thrust
her
into
US
Open
favouritism.

But
the
21-year-old
is
trying
not
to
put
any
extra
pressure
on
herself
with
that
in
mind,
nor
re-discovering
the
form
she
displayed
earlier
in
the
year.

“Honestly
I
didn’t
even
focus
on
that
cause
I
still
remember
how
it
is
to
lose,”
Swiatek
told
reporters.
“After
the
tournament
in
Cincinnati
[when
she
lost
to
Madison
Keys
in
August],
I
knew
like
it’s
not
the
end
of
the
world
that
I’m
losing
in
third
round.

“It’s
not
like
the
whole
universe
changed
so
right
now
I’m
always
going
to
be
in
quarter-finals
or
finals
or
whatever,
win
tournaments.
I
tried
just
to
remind
myself
that
it’s
kind
of
normal,
that
it’s
impossible
to
play
always
on
the
same
level.

“Here
I
just
took
it
match
by
match.
I
wasn’t
expecting
maybe
too
much
because
of
the
losses,
so
that’s
good.
It’s
not
like
I
lost
confidence
or
something.
I
still
know
anything
can
happen
on
these
tournaments.”

Iga.
Vika.
Petra.

Three
Grand
Slam
champions
remain
into
the
second
week
of
the

#USOpen
pic.twitter.com/L6lETP6VPi

—
US
Open
Tennis
(@usopen)

September
4,
2022

Swiatek
admitted
she
lacked
rhythm
against
Davis,
who
had
led
4-1
in
the
second
set,
before
the
Pole
fought
back
to
win
the
final
five
games.

The
21-year-old
won
21
of
the
final
25
points
of
the
match,
securing
her
53rd
victory
of
the
2022
season,
closing
in
on
Ash
Barty’s
57
from
2019.

“It
wasn’t
as
smooth
as
in
first
and
second
round,”
Swiatek
said.
“I’m
pretty
happy
I
made
it
through
and
could
close
it
in
second
set
and
come
back.
That
was
pretty
important
for
me.

“For
sure
she
played
totally
differently
than
most
of
the
players,
which
threw
me
a
little
bit
off
the
rhythm.
But
I’m
happy
I
was
fighting
till
the
end.”

Swiatek
will
take
on
Germany’s
Jule
Niemeier,
who
is
currently
ranked
104th,
for
the
first
time
in
the
fourth
round
on
Monday.