Iga Swiatek Triumphs Over Anna Kalinskaya in US Open Match

It seemed like a tough night was in store for Iga Swiatek.

She appeared a bit off her game and struggled to find her rhythm.

During the third round match against Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, who is seeded 29th, Swiatek lost five of the first six games, putting her fifth consecutive Grand Slam round at risk.

However, things shifted dramatically after that.

Swiatek, representing Poland, rediscovered her form.

She not only managed to push through but also secured the first set in a hard-fought 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday.

In an on-court interview, Swiatek reflected, “Anna was playing great. She was hitting these tough shots like she had done against me in Dubai. I aimed to minimize mistakes, and she ended up making more. It was a bit of a pressure-free situation for me, and I decided to go for it.”

After being down 5-1, Swiatek won six of the next seven games, forcing a tiebreak.

She faced four set points but dominated the tiebreak.

In the second set, Swiatek broke Kalinskaya’s serve at 4-4, which effectively sealed the match.

Both players had their challenges, contributing to a total of 67 forced errors and 16 double faults.

Swiatek managed to finish strong with 28 winners, being particularly effective when it mattered most.

“I needed to stay solid,” she said. “I wasn’t exactly sure how, but it turned out to be simpler than I thought.”

The 2022 US Open champion has faced some ups and downs lately.

In her previous match, she dropped a set to the world’s No. 66 Suzan Ramens. Looking ahead, Swiatek is set to face No. 13 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who recently defeated Laura Siegemund 6-0, 6-1 in the fourth round on Monday.