Iga Swiatek refocuses on US Open after 2023 disappointment

Last year, Iga Swiatek saw her hopes of defending her US Open title dashed when she lost in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows. Now, however, she says she feels freed from the pressure that led to that disappointment.

Swiatek, the 2022 tournament champion, was surprised by Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko last year and lost her No. 1 position in the world rankings to hard-working Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

But the unstoppable player from Poland recovered and won the last WTA Finals of the season, regaining her top spot in the rankings, which she has held ever since.

“Last year I felt like I had to defend a lot of things, like the world No. 1 ranking, all my points and also the title itself,” Swiatek told reporters in New York on Friday. “I felt like I had a lot of baggage on my shoulders. This year it’s a little bit different. This year I’m just trying to focus on what I need to do tennis-wise to play the best match possible.

“My expectations are not that high compared to last year. I’m going to try to take everything step by step.”

Despite winning five titles this year, including her fourth at Roland Garros, the 23-year-old admitted she is coming off a difficult period, including a disappointing bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and a loss to Sabalenka in Cincinnati on Sunday.

“It’s been a really intense season, and it hasn’t been easy after the Olympics,” she said. “I feel best when I just focus on practicing and grinding on the court and really focusing on improving my game and not on the results. I’m just going to try to keep that mindset and that attitude.”

A five-time Grand Slam champion and the tournament’s top favorite, Swiatek begins her US Open campaign on Tuesday against a qualifier. Her path includes a potential quarterfinal against American world number 6 Jessica Pegula.