World No. 1 Iga Swiatek says chat with 23-time Grand Slam champ Williams gave her positive kick before Round Three victory over Pavlyuchenkova
Serena Williams
Iga Swiatek said a chat with Serena Williams as the 23-time Grand Slam champion toured the US Open grounds on Saturday was a “positive kick” before her third-round 6-4, 6-2 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
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Current World No. 1 Swiatek was spotted talking with Williams in the players’ gym at Flushing Meadows. Far from finding it a disruption to her match preparations, Swiatek said it “more inspired me and it gave me, like, a positive kick, so it was nice.”
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Iga Swiatek returns to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in New York on Saturday. Pics/Getty Images
Williams, wearing a throwback look of a short pleated denim skirt and jacket, returned to the venue where she lifted the trophy six times, sharing the record for most US Open women’s singles titles with Chris Evert.
She last played the tournament in 2022, when she had already said she planned to “evolve away” from tennis once that year’s final Grand Slam was over. “It was really nice to see her,” Swiatek said.
“She has a lot of positive energy. It’s nice that she came on-site and she was chatting with the players. 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,” Swiatek said.
“It was nice that she approached me, because I wouldn’t, for sure, find courage to do that. She’s really nice and really positive.”
Williams, who remains busy with various business enterprises and welcomed the birth of her second daughter last year, was spotted in the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium watching men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s win over Christopher O’Connell.
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