Iga Swiatek Defeats Anna Kalinskaya In Tough Match

You know that feeling when your favorite team is down by 20 points in the fourth quarter, and you’re already mentally preparing your post-game excuses? Well, that is exactly where Iga Swiatek found herself against Anna Kalinskaya at the US Open. Down two breaks, staring at four set points, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else on planet Earth. But here’s the thing about champions—they have this annoying habit of refusing to go quietly into the night. How did she snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?

Swiatek’s Slow Start Nearly Costs Her Everything

The opening set was about as ugly as a New York subway rat. Swiatek came out looking like she was still stuck in traffic on the FDR Drive, gifting Kalinskaya breaks left and right. And get this—both breaks came courtesy of double faults. At this level, that’s like striking out on a tee-ball stand. The Polish powerhouse managed just 37% of her first serves in that opening set. To put that in perspective, your weekend warrior at the local tennis club probably does better after three beers and a questionable hot dog from the snack bar.

Kalinskaya, meanwhile, was serving up her own brand of chaos with seven double faults. It was like watching two boxers trying to knock each other out by punching themselves in the face.

The Comeback Kid Shows Her Championship DNA

Here’s where things got interesting. Down 5-1, facing four set points, most players would start planning their press conference about “learning experiences” and “taking positives.” Not Swiatek. This woman has ice water running through her veins and the heart of a lion with serious anger management issues.

She clawed back to 5-5, breaking Kalinskaya twice in a row. The Russian started serving up double faults like they were going out of style. But just when you thought Swiatek had seized control, Kalinskaya broke back again at 6-5. Tiebreak time. And this is where champions separate themselves from the pack.

Swiatek Dominates When It Matters Most

The tiebreak was a masterclass in mental toughness. Swiatek took control from the jump and never looked back, closing it out 7-2. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from her coaching box, and probably from tennis fans worldwide who didn’t want to witness another early exit from a top seed.

The second set? Much more civilized affair, thank you very much. Both players traded early breaks, but once they settled in, it became a proper tennis match. The score reached 4-4, and that’s when Swiatek decided she’d had enough drama for one evening. She grabbed the crucial break and served out the match, sealing a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory that took nearly two hours but felt like an eternity for anyone emotionally invested in the outcome.

The Numbers Tell a Wild Story

Let’s talk stats for a hot minute. These two combined for 43 unforced errors in the first set alone. Kalinskaya hit 11 double faults for the match—eleven!—while Swiatek contributed five of her own. It wasn’t pretty tennis, but it was compelling television.

Swiatek’s serving stats looked like something you’d see from a qualifier having a rough day. But here’s what separates good players from great ones: when the chips are down and nothing’s working, great players find a way to win ugly.

What This Victory Means for Swiatek’s US Open Campaign

This marks Swiatek’s fifth consecutive fourth-round appearance at the US Open and her 20th career Grand Slam Round of 16. The woman is nothing if not consistent when it comes to the big stages. Next up? Ekaterina Alexandrova, who’s been cruising through the draw like she’s playing a different sport. The Russian demolished Laura Siegemund 6-0, 6-1, and has barely broken a sweat so far this tournament.

For Swiatek, this victory might just be the wake-up call she needed. Sometimes you need to stare defeat in the face, feel its hot breath on your neck, before you remember why you’re a champion in the first place. The road to defending her 2022 US Open title continues, and if Saturday night taught us anything, it is that writing off Iga Swiatek is about as smart as betting against Tom Brady in the playoffs. You might get lucky, but you’re probably going to regret it.