Iga Swiatek is through to the last 16 of the US Open after rallying past Anna Kalinskaya 7–6, 6–4 in a gripping encounter that tested both her patience and adaptability. The victory marks her second win over the Russian in just a few weeks, having also prevailed in Cincinnati.
The world No. 2 endured a nightmare start, dropping five straight games to trail 5–1 in the opening set. Rather than fold, the 2022 champion mounted a spirited recovery, battling back to 5–5 before surrendering serve again. With momentum swinging, she immediately broke back and then raced through the tiebreak with ease. In the second set she earned an early break, surrendered it, but struck again at 5–4 to seal the win on her first match point.
Reflecting on the turnaround, Swiatek credited her ability to adjust mid-match.
“For sure it wasn’t an easy match, especially after the beginning. I’m happy I came back and started playing better. I made mistakes in the first set that I wish hadn’t happened, but Anna played great. I’m glad I stayed positive and found the right adjustments.”
This is a remarkably upbeat assessment, especially given the visible tension on court as she vented her frustration toward coach Wim Fissette multiple times during Kalinskaya’s dominant spell.
Staying calm under pressure
Swiatek underlined how important it was to keep her composure despite the daunting scoreline.
“Honestly, I feel like I played good but sometimes I went for too much when I wanted to close the rally. I knew I didn’t need to change a lot—just keep the margins and cut the unforced errors. I focused on a couple of technical things, made fewer mistakes, and gave her space to miss. When the set got tight, I knew I could fight for it.”
She admitted there were moments of uncertainty but praised her team’s input from the stands.
“Sometimes you don’t know what exactly to change. My team helped me, and I tried to stay open to solutions—just put one more ball in, maybe not always go for the winner. At 5–1 it’s easy to panic—and I didn’t, so that’s good.”
Serving balance and tactical tweaks
Asked about her low first-serve percentage, Swiatek revealed she wasn’t even aware during play.
“I felt like maybe I was going for too much in terms of spots. I tried to balance it—play safer but not too safe, otherwise your opponent will punish you. I didn’t know what the percentage was, and maybe that was good.”
Another striking remark, and proof of how players on court can experience matches very differently from fans. Swiatek landed just 37% of her first serves in the opening set, but raised that number to 69% in the second.
Adjusting to Arthur Ashe
Swiatek admitted she needed time to adapt to the late-night conditions on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It felt like an ‘over-the-home’ match. I had to get used to the light and atmosphere, but otherwise the conditions felt similar.”
Next challenge
With the comeback complete, Iga Swiatek now prepares for Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 16, as she continues her push toward a second Flushing Meadows title.