NEW YORK: Iga Swiatek shrugged off lingering weariness to partner Casper Ruud to back-to-back victories in the revamped mixed doubles competition at the US Open on Tuesday.
Swiatek — who on Monday had battled through a two-hour tussle with Jasmine Paolini to win the Cincinnati Open — looked full of energy as she and Ruud powered into Wednesday’s semifinals.
Swiatek and Ruud needed just 39 minutes to dispatch the US pairing of Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe 4-1, 4-2 in their opening game at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and then reappeared roughly 20 minutes later to defeat Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti 5-3, 4-2 in their quarterfinal clash.
The victories capped a gruelling 24 hours for Polish star Swiatek, who hot-footed it to the airport after Monday’s win in Cincinnati and only arrived at her hotel in New York in the early hours of Tuesday.
“Honestly the last two days have felt like one day, but I’m super happy to be here,” Swiatek said, adding that her tight turnaround had helped her unwind after her exertions in Cincinnati.
