US Open: Iga Swiatek reveals Serena Williams conversation that inspired her to third round victory

Iga Swiatek revealed that a pre-match conversation with tennis icon Serena Williams gave her a “positive kick” that propelled her to a commanding third-round victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the US Open.

The Polish star, who clinched the title in New York in 2022, demonstrated her dominant form with a 6-4, 6-2 win against the Russian, ensuring she did not face a single break point throughout the match. Swiatek, the tournament’s top seed, showcased her prowess on the court during the night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Swiatek’s chat with the 23-time Grand Slam champion in the players’ gym had a significant impact on her performance. “It was nice that she approached me, because I wouldn’t, for sure, find courage to do that,” Swiatek said, reflecting on the encounter. “Even though we met before and for like a couple of years we have been on the same sides and on tour together, she’s still like star-striking for me.”

The meeting with Williams, a six-time US Open winner, served as a source of inspiration for Swiatek. “It inspired me and it gave me, like, a positive kick,” she added.

Despite her impressive performance, Swiatek remains critical of her own game, acknowledging areas for improvement. “It’s not like my tennis is perfect,” said the five-time Grand Slam winner. “It is weird because I have been number one and winning tournaments, I feel I need to work on some stuff.”

Pavlyuchenkova, who had suffered a 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Swiatek in their previous encounter, fought hard in the opening set but was unable to recover from an early break. Swiatek’s precision and aggressive play in the second set, where she made just one unforced error, allowed her to break twice and close out the match with confidence.

Looking ahead, Swiatek will face Liudmila Samsonova in the fourth round. The 16th seed from Russia advanced with ease, defeating American Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 6-1.

In other matches, American sixth seed Jessica Pegula continued her strong run with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Pegula remains unbeaten at the tournament and will next play against rising star Diana Shnaider, who also secured a comfortable win against Italy’s Sara Errani.

Italian fifth seed Jasmine Paolini and Czech Karolina Muchova also progressed, with Paolini defeating Yulia Putintseva and Muchova overcoming Anastasia Potapova. Caroline Wozniacki, meanwhile, secured her place in the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2 win against France’s Jessika Ponchet and will face either Beatriz Haddad Maia or Anna Kalinskaya next.