In Suzan Lamens’ first career appearance at Arthur Ashe Stadium — and her first time ever facing six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek — she put a major scare into the No. 2 seed Thursday.
Lamens, the world No. 66 player, broke Swiatek’s serve four times in the second set alone before dropping a hard-fought three-setter — 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 — in the first match of the day on the signature court at Billie Jean King Tennis Center.
In a first week largely devoid of major upsets, this would have been a massive one.
“For sure, it wasn’t the easiest match,” Swiatek said. “It got a bit complicated in the second set, but I’m happy that I could reset and start playing better in the third.
“I wouldn’t say [I was] surprised, but I know that I kind of let her in after the first set, and she used her chances and she immediately kind of knew what to do with that. So for sure, she deserves the games that she won.”
Swiatek captured the Wimbledon title earlier this summer with a 6-0, 6-0 double-bagel victory over Amanda Anisimova, the first time since 1911 in which a woman won a Grand Slam final without dropping a game.
“Well, just being under pressure a bit, figuring it out, problem-solving, it’s always something you can take from a match like that,” said Swiatek, who will face Anna Kalinskaya in the third round. “Just maybe playing a bit longer on Ashe also, because the surface, as usual, practice courts are totally different.”
After easily dispatching Emiliana Arango (6-1, 6-2) in the first round, Swiatek was sharp to start Thursday’s match, dropping just one game to take the first set.
The 2022 U.S. champion was up a break and serving at 4-3 in the second, but she double-faulted on break point and also dropped her final service game to force a decisive third set.
Venus Williams’ tournament is not over despite a first-round singles defeat. She is also partnering with Leylah Fernandez in doubles and the duo defeated No. 6 seeded Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez in straight sets in the first round.
For the 45-year-old Williams, this marks her first women’s doubles win at the Open since 2014.
“I’m used to being the big sister, so I’m kind of asking her what she wants. It’s important for her to feel comfortable,” Williams said of Fernandez. “Theoretically I have more experience, but she’s been playing a lot more matches, so maybe that makes us neck and neck, right, in terms of how we can compete.”
The men’s Wimbledon champ Jannik Sinner cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Alexei Popyrin.
He will face Denis Shapovalov, the No. 27 seed, in Round 3.