Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek proved they are only human at the U.S. Open on Saturday and showed that even the best players in the world have to figure things out on the fly sometimes when pure talent is not enough.
Wimbledon champion Swiatek embodied the day’s theme of triumph through adversity, clawing her way back from 5-1 down in the opening set against Anna Kalinskaya before grinding out a 7-6(2) 6-4 victory.
The Pole was far from her sharpest in a scrappy, error-strewn contest — nine breaks and 67 unforced errors by both players combined painted the picture of a match won through sheer bloody-mindedness rather than sublime shot-making.
Yet Swiatek steadied herself at the key moments, saving four set points in the first set and breaking late in the second to notch her 20th major match win of the season and draw level with defending champion and world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Her reward is a last-16 meeting with 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
World number one Sinner showed similar resolve, surrendering the opening set to 27th seed Denis Shapovalov before rallying to prevail 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-3.
The victory extended the 24-year-old Italian’s unbeaten run at hardcourt Grand Slams to 24 matches, a streak built not just on talent but on his ability to problem-solve when his best tennis abandons him.
“I’m not a machine, you know. I also struggle sometimes,” said Sinner, who was beaten by the Canadian in the opening round of the 2021 Australian Open in their only previous meeting.
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