In a surprising turn of events at the US Open 2023, former World No.1 Iga Swiatek was defeated by Jelena Ostapenko in a thrilling fourth-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 3. The match ended with a scoreline of 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, marking a significant loss for Swiatek.
Starting the match on a strong note, Swiatek dominated the first set, securing an early break and closing it out comfortably. However, momentum shifted in favor of Ostapenko from the second set, leading to a startling loss for Swiatek, who is usually known for upping her game in the latter half of matches.
"I don't really know what happened with my game. I felt no control suddenly. I just have to watch and see, because I didn't really know why I started making so many mistakes," Swiatek said in the post-match press conference.
"I'm just surprised that my level changed so drastically because usually when I play bad, I play bad at the beginning, then I kind of catch up or just problem-solve. This time it was totally the opposite," she added.
The defeat not only led to Swiatek's exit from the tournament but also cost her the World No.1 ranking, which has now been claimed by Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka. Disappointed but resolute, Swiatek has vowed to bounce back stronger in future competitions.
The Polish tennis star admitted that she usually manages to recover in the latter half of games where she isn't performing well, making this loss all the more shocking. Despite the setback, Swiatek is committed to making a robust comeback and reclaiming her top position in the global rankings.
"Well, it meant a lot, obviously. It was great. On the other hand, this last part, it was pretty exhausting [to defend No. 1]. I still need to do all this stuff that my team and all these great players like Roger or Novak or Rafa are talking about: You just have to focus on the tournaments, not the rankings," she stated.
"But for sure, when it happens, when you lose [the No. 1 ranking], there are some sad emotions. As I said at the beginning, all these great players know it's going to come back if you're going to work hard, focus on the right things, just develop as a player," Swiatek added.
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