The first world player Iga Swiatek qualified for the round of 16 at the US Open on Friday by inflicting a severe correction, 6-0, 6-1 on her “best friend”, the Slovenian Kaja Juvan, 145th in the world and finished qualifications. After a second round where she was a little less imperial than usual – 6-3, 6-4 victory against the 322nd world Daria Saville -, the defending champion was ruthless, imposing a power and an untenable pace to her opponent, her “best friend” on the circuit, she confided before the meeting. “She’s my best friend, so that was the hardest part,” Swiatek added on court after her victory.
After a 6-0 first set, the Pole set off again at the same pace in the second set, chaining two shutouts to lead 3-0. When she scored her first game (3-1), Kaja Juvan, 22, all smiles, even raised her fist and then both arms as a sign of victory, to the ovations of the public at the Louis-Armstrong court. In the next round, Swiatek will face the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (21st player in the world) or the American Bernarda Pera (73rd). If she wins, she could face in the quarters the American Coco Gauff (6th), title contender after her dazzling summer marked by her victories at the Washington and Cincinnati tournaments, where she beat Swiatek in the semis.
