Preparations for the US Open are in full flow this week as Iga Swiatek returns to American soil after claiming a bronze medal at the Olympics.
After a nervy opener at the Cincinnati Open, Swiatek cruised past Marta Kostyuk on Friday to book her place in the quarter-finals.
The 23-year-old headlines a stacked WTA 1000 field which has already seen the likes of Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina fall in the early stages.
Swiatek is seeking an 11th Masters title but, more importantly, will be eager to fine-tune her game on the match court before the all-important US Open.
The Pole was victorious at Flushing Meadows in 2022 but was shocked by Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round 12 months ago.
Iga Swiatek reflects on ‘crazy’ WTA schedule
Life as a tennis player poses significant demands, both mentally and physically, and issues surrounding scheduling have often clouded the sport in recent times.
Taylor Townsend went viral for sharing her travel troubles last week after she was forced to rent a car and drive overnight from Toronto to Cincinnati.
Now, Iga Swiatek has opened up on the hectic experience that she has undergone since her Wimbledon exit.
“I had like two and a half days after Wimbledon,” Swiatek told Tennis Channel. “I have days off where I don’t go on court but you are not going to rest fully when you have two days off during the week.
“We would need some more time to really reset properly but I’m not expecting that I am going to have this rest during the season. It’s tough on everybody.
“Our schedule is crazy and everyone knows that. It’s getting a bit more crazy, so good luck to us!
“Sometimes I feel like I am this hamster in this wheel just running and running towards the next tournament. You don’t have much time to reset.
“Even after the Olympics, most athletes have a couple of months to reflect and live their life with a medal or something but here we are on to the next tournament and we need to keep going. This is the tennis life.
“I just hope they are not going to be too hard on us in the future even though we know last year rules changed a little bit, we have more mandatory tournaments, but I guess the most important thing is to plan wisely.”
Can Swiatek win the US Open?
Swiatek is no stranger to success at the US Open and, given the current form of the top contenders, she might be in with another big shot this year.
Reigning champion Gauff has been in poor form in the lead-up to her title defense, having dominated this part of the season last time out.
Aryna Sabalenka has also struggled during the second half of the 2024 campaign after being forced out of Wimbledon through a shoulder injury.
Rybakina is always a threat, but she too is lacking hours on the hard courts after being sent home early in Cincinnati.
World number one Swiatek won’t rest easy, but she will know that she has a real opportunity to go deep in New York.
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