World No. 1 Iga Świątek Defeats Kamila Rachimova 6-4, 7-6; Hubert Hurkacz Wins Against Timofey Skatov 6-3, 7-6, 7-6.
"I know there are areas I need to improve. Above all, I want to maintain a consistent level in my upcoming matches," Iga Świątek said after her first-round victory over Rachimova at the US Open in New York.
Świątek, the top-ranked player, started strongly with two breaks and a 4-0 lead within fifteen minutes. However, the match, which lasted nearly two hours, became competitive and closely contested from that point onward.
Świątek, coached by Tomasz Wiktorowski, will face Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in the third round on Thursday. Shibahara is better known for her doubles performance, including reaching the 2023 Australian Open final.
Although Świątek is not familiar with her opponent, she plans to analyze Shibahara's game and prepare an appropriate strategy. Świątek has expressed concerns about the tight WTA schedule, which she feels forces players into frequent tournaments without adequate recovery time.
Świątek criticizes tight WTA schedule
During a press conference before the US Open, Świątek criticized the recent changes to the rules regarding mandatory tournaments, which she only learned about after their implementation, making it difficult to make adjustments.
She believes the current schedule is too demanding, leaving players with insufficient time for recovery between events.
Source: IAR/PAP/X/@SwiatekOOC
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