Iga Świątek locked horns on Saturday night with Russia's Anna Kalinskaya by winning and sealing the match with a scoreline of 7-6(2), 6-4 in the 3rd round, and this would motivate her for another Grand Slam win, especially with her track record, and this US Open might be that opportunity for her. The first set was quite competitive as Kalinskaya became quite aggressive, and she almost matched Swaitek's pace and her power from the baseline. Anna forced Swiatek to keep moving around the court, and for this she used flat and penetrating strokes, which troubled Swiatek and made few errors due to miscalculation. However, Swiatek did not bow down and ended the set with a 7-2 finish to seal the first set.
Świątek Shows Composure to Overcome Kalinskaya and Strengthen Grand Slam Bid
The second set was also mostly similar, unlike the first set, with the Russian trying to mount pressure on Swiatek from the start, but a failed attempt as Swiatek used her precision under pressure and heavy trademark heavy topspin helped her gain traction, and she closed the set at 6-4, securing her spot in the next round. In her post-match interview, Swiatek said, “Anna played really well today. She was aggressive and gave me no easy points. I had to stay calm and trust my game, especially in the tiebreak.” Swiatek also said how this match tested her calm and composure till the end. Kalinskaya, even though she lost the match but said, “Iga is one of the best players in the world, and I felt I was right there with her. It’s disappointing, but matches like this give me confidence.”
For Swiatek, this will be one more feather to the crown as she is looking for another Grand Slam win, and her form being this great, she is hopeful in the upcoming matches to execute her plans of another title. This showed why she is considered one of the best in the world.