Swiatek arrives at US Open eyeing a career Grand Slam

Iga Swiatek arrives at the US Open in a markedly different mood from a year ago, carrying Wimbledon and Cincinnati trophies and a renewed sense that she can win on any surface. The 24-year-old Pole has climbed back to No. 2 in the rankings and appears poised to extend her string of deep Grand Slam runs, even as she discourages talk of being the favorite in New York. Her rapid resurgence follows a season of drought, a coaching change, and a deliberate shift toward faster courts, underscoring a broader balancing act as she prepares to chase a career Grand Slam.

Swiatek’s year-long title drought ended decisively with Wimbledon’s dominant grass-court showing, followed weeks later by a hard-court title in Cincinnati. The run has reinforced her status as a global force who can adapt across surfaces. She has acknowledged past off-court and on-court pressures, including a doping case related to a tainted sleeping aid, but has used those challenges to fuel a more expansive approach to the game. In New York, she is one of the clear threats to Aryna Sabalenka atop the ladder, yet she insists limitations and expectations alike should not define her.

Observers have seen a tangible shift in...