Iga Swiatek didn't spend a lot of time on the court in her third-round win at the 2024 US Open, but it will be still a match that she will remember.
Fighting for a spot in the second week of the tournament, the Polish player bested Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in two sets, 6-4, 6-2, to reach the fourth round of the 2024 US Open.
It was a great performance from the 23-year-old, who was maybe inspired by a player who won the New York Slam six times in her tennis career, Serena Williams.
The 42-year-old made an appearance at Flushing Meadows, watching the match between Tommy Paul and Gabriel Diallo, but also enjoying presence of the current World No. 1 player, a spot in the WTA Rankings that Williams herself occupied for 319 weeks.
Swiatek enjoyed talking to the player, whose achievements she maybe aspires to match one day, given her incredible dominance on the WTA Tour, but immediately after the match, she wasn't asked about meeting the legendary American, instead, about possible improvements in her game, despite another dominant win.
"I think everywhere, honestly. It’s not like my tennis is perfect. It sometimes feels weird because I’ve been number one and winning these tournaments but I still feel like really I need to work on some stuff."
"But since I started working with Tomasz, I’ve been feeling like I have more variety and options on court. I’ll try to give them more opportunities to smile because for sure it’s not easy for the coach to smile. So I’ll try to play the best tennis possible so we all can enjoy it."
Already after the match in her press conference, the Polish player was asked about meeting Serena Williams, as cameras caught them briefly chatting before the start of her third-round match.
The reigning World No. 1 player admitted that she was starstruck by the presence of the 23-time Grand Slam winner, and that she was happy that it was Williams who approached her, because she certainly wouldn't have the courage to do that.
"It was really nice to see her. She has a lot of positive energy. It's nice that she came on-site and she was chatting with the players, because for me, yeah, I still felt, 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 me (smiling)."
"It was nice that she approached me, because I wouldn't, for sure, find courage to do that (smiling) if it was the other way. But, yeah, she's really nice and really positive."
Swiatek also revealed that she received backing from the arguably greatest female tennis player of all time ahead of her match, and she was happy about the fact that Williams still follows the sport.
"I'm happy that she's following tennis, you know, and, like, my game, because she told me that she's cheering for me. It's always nice to hear that from somebody like Serena."