"I think he will forgive me" - Iga Swiatek politely dashes Andy Murray's hope of playing mixed doubles with her
Iga Swiatek, the defending champion and the top seed at the 2023 US Open, secured a 6-3, 6-4 win against World No. 322 Daria Saville in the second round on Wednesday, August 30.
Swiatek has never been defeated by a player outside the top 100 in a Grand Slam tournament. The victory marked yet another stride in her quest to defend her title in New York and maintain her hold on the prestigious World No. 1 ranking, which is at stake in the tournament.
The Pole has already claimed four titles this season, including a third French Open title, but second seed Aryna Sabalenka poses a serious threat to her dominance at the top of the WTA Rankings.
In an on-court interview after the match, Iga Swiatek was asked to share her thoughts on Andy Murray's comments about wanting to play mixed doubles with her.
The four-time Grand Slam winner said that while it would be a dream come true for her since she grew up watching Murray, she will have to decline the offer due to the rigors of the season, for which she hopes the Brit will forgive her.
"I love that he said that. It’s a dream come true. I watched Andy when I was younger. He always had such a good game & is such a cool person as well. Really humble and down to earth," Iga Swiatek said.
"So I'm happy he said that. I wish I could play mixed doubles. For me, singles is enough, especially with such an intense and long season. So I'll just focus on singles but I think Andy will forgive me," she added.
Iga Swiatek to square off against "best friend" Kaja Juvan in the third-round
Iga Swiatek will face Kaja Juvan in the third round of the 2023 US Open. The Pole has won both meetings with the Slovenian so far, most recently in the first round of the 2021 French Open.
The World No. 1 said after her second-round match that she is in a "tricky" situation because Juvan is her "best friend" on the tour. She also praised the Slovenian for her honesty and smartness.
"She's my best friend on tour. She's one of the most, like, honest and I think smart people on tour. I'm happy that she's my friend, but yeah, we've got to play against each other. It's a tricky situation, but I think we both know how to be professional and just play the match and that's all," Swiatek said.