As the final Grand Slam of the year approaches, anticipation is at its peak. But for World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, the excitement is tinged with uncertainty. Preparing for the US Open, Swiatek recently made a heart-wrenching statement about her expectations, signifying that recent setbacks have tempered her hopes. While the world watches with bated breath, Swiatek is bracing herself for a challenging journey ahead.

The Polish sensation arrived at the hard-court Grand Slam as a defending champion last year. But the star player witnessed a shocking fourth-round defeat to Jelena Ostapenko in three sets that ended her campaign. As she once again arrives in New York, the buzz and anticipation are not the same for her as last year.

Swiatek engaged in a pre-tournament presser and opened up about her expectations from the tournament. When quizzed if there is any difference she is facing in her spirits, Swiatek said, “Well, for sure last year I felt I had many things to defend, like World No. 1 position, all my points, and also the title itself. I felt like I have a lot of baggage on my shoulders. This year it’s a little bit different.” Continuing further, she reflected upon her desire to improve her skills and focus on her game over anything else. 

“My expectations are not like so high compared to last year. So I’m going to try to focus on getting everything step by step and not put too much baggage on my shoulders,” the World No. 1 further added.

The agony of the 2022 US Open winner can be well justified by her latest setbacks. The Pole, despite winning big on clay this season, has witnessed some major setbacks. She was ousted in the third round of Wimbledon in a shocking loss. Besides, in the American hardcourt swing, she lost to World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincy semi-finals. 

Iga’s latest remarks might give a boost to Sabalenka’s motivation for the tournament. The Belarusian is fresh off her victory at the Cincinnati Masters. Besides, her record on the hard courts is quite impressive, due to her back-to-back victories at the Australian Open. The World No. 2 is now looking for glory at Flushing Meadows. “Every time I’m coming here, I’m really hoping for the best result. I really hope one day I’ll be happy to lift this beautiful trophy,” Sabalenka said.

As far as Swiatek is concerned, despite her low expectations, she is not relaxed ahead of the US Open,

‘It’s impossible to be relaxed’ – Iga Swiatek sheds light on the tough side of the tournament

Iga Swiatek might not have too much expectation from her US Open campaign, but it does not reduce her stress levels. Speaking in the pre-tournament press conference, the Polish star claimed that it was impossible not to get drawn into the excitement of the US Open because of the hype surrounding the tournament.

Speaking in the presser, Swiatek said, “I wouldn’t say now I’m relaxed, because it’s impossible to be relaxed in New York, especially with everything that’s going on around. It’s pretty loud here.” Continuing further, she reflected on the multitude of tasks the players are expected to perform, apart from their on-court performances. “Here, you have so many activities off the court, you need to balance it wisely, and the practice is always going to be a priority, but you have so many things to also think about.”

While World No. 1 is aspiring to take over the challenges smartly, it would be interesting to see if the reduced expectation from herself helps Swiatek or further affects her performance adversely. Can she overcome her recent indifferent form and shine at the US Open again? Only time will tell.