Swiatek opens up before the US Open: "It has been my toughest and most challenging season"
The Polish player lands in Flushing Meadows with the intention of extending her good form shown throughout the U.S. tour. She may not be the name that stands out in the predictions, but watch out for her.
The champion from four seasons ago is back in New York. We are talking about Iga Swiatek, of course, a woman who has long lost that feeling with Grand Slam tournaments. What if this fortnight she brings back the best version of the Polish player?
This is the idea we all have in mind, that at any moment Iga Swiatek will be the player she once was. She proved it a few weeks ago in Canada, where she captured a new WTA 1000 title. Now the challenge will be to replicate that greatness in a tournament of the highest category, a plan that the Polish player has been pursuing for some time. Just today, we had the opportunity to hear her at the Media Day of the US Open talking about how difficult it has been for her to overcome certain moments of this 2026.
Swiatek celebrates her arrival at the US Open
“I don’t have many thoughts yet, but I’m happy to be here and I’ve had a good couple of days of training. It’s an exciting time in New York. I’m also trying, before the tournament, to have fun off the court. It’s going pretty well. I’m sure it would be great to have a calmer atmosphere during practice, if you know what I mean. Sometimes it’s easier to communicate with the coach and all that. But I know the fans are excited and they also give you a lot of energy. Plus, it’s good training for us in terms of concentration and really staying present in the game. There will also be a lot of noise during the matches. There’s always a lot of noise at matches in the United States. So I think it’s good, although sometimes it’s a bit more exhausting.”
Having fun off the court before the debut
“My goal is always to go to Broadway, so I’ve already had the chance to see two Broadway shows this year. It’s really lovely. And great food! In New York, it’s easy to find. I’m also planning to go to Central Park and just take a stroll. It’s nothing crazy. But the Broadway shows were awesome. I saw Titanique and Buena Vista Social Club.”
Swiatek acknowledges having lived her most complicated season
“I don’t have much to say about the tour. I guess every season is different. There were probably more surprises this year because maybe the top three girls didn’t win the Grand Slams. That’s the only thing. But for me, it has definitely not been an easy season. It has probably been the toughest and most challenging. Obviously, I had to change coaches before the clay season, which was a complicated situation. Then I started working with Francis and just wanted to implement all the things we were doing in training. But on the other hand, I didn’t have much time to train. Everything probably calmed down after Wimbledon. I was able to have some days off, reset a bit, and we had a much longer training block. That really helped me implement the things I was talking about.”
Satisfied with her current moment in tennis
“Obviously, the last two tournaments were super positive. Even though I lost in Cincinnati, that match against Jessica was of very high level. I watched it yesterday and it was even fun to watch. So I feel happy with my game and with the changes I’ve made. Now I’m just looking forward to the tournament.”
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek se sincera antes del US Open: “Ha sido mi temporada más dura y desafiante”