Fans and experts were expecting a tennis spectacle in the US Open quarterfinal between Iga Świątek and Jessica Pegula. But it didn’t happen, as Świątek played far below her usual standard and much worse than in her three previous matches in New York. Her 41 unforced errors were reflected in the result—she lost to a very well-prepared opponent, 2:6, 4:6. The world number one needed a moment to cool off after this performance before speaking with journalists. At one point, she even smiled, although she wasn’t in a laughing mood overall.
Świątek Speaks Frankly: It’s My Fault. The Pole Talks About Pegula
Two double faults in her first two service games, trailing 0:4, and hitting only 36% of first serves in the opening set. This is not what Świątek's fans expected in the quarterfinals, especially after she was praised for her serve in the previous match. When did Świątek realize something was seriously wrong with her game that day?
"Probably when I was losing 0:4 in the first set. I tried to do my usual work on the court. I really didn’t understand why my serve wasn’t functioning. It was hard for me to find the right solution" - Świątek noted.
In the past, this element was often not her strong point, and she continues to work on it with her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. As her serve failed her early in the match against Pegula, she thought back to earlier times. However, she added that the situation wasn’t quite the same as before.
On the one hand, I kept telling myself that I can still play well from the baseline. And that in many tournaments, I didn’t serve well but was still able to win. But I probably didn’t find the right solution because I wasn’t able to put pressure with my serve. Besides, I wasn’t consistent enough from the baseline to help myself. You can’t win if you make so many mistakes. And I made them. It’s my fault
- she emphasized.
Though Pegula had never reached a Grand Slam semifinal before (she was 0-6 in quarterfinals) and had a losing record against Świątek (3-6), many expected her to give the favorite trouble. The American has been in great form this summer - winning in Toronto and reaching the final in Cincinnati before coming to New York, where she stormed through the first four rounds.
As I said before the match, it’s never easy to play Jessie. Her ball is difficult because it’s quite flat and stays low. But I wouldn’t say she changed much, as it’s impossible to change your style of play. She was certainly more solid than me and made far fewer mistakes, which put pressure on me. Normally, I can handle that, but today I made too many mistakes
- the 23-year-old from Raszyn said honestly.
