Some thoughts on Iga Swiatek's U.S. Open exit

I've spent the last 12 hours or so thinking about this loss and as much as it pains me to say it I think that in the long run losing the number 1 ranking might be the best thing to happen to Iga. 

It'll allow her to play with more freedom having less pressure on her all the time because as she herself admits it has been tough. It might feel good to be the hunter instead of the hunted for a change. 

It may motivate her even more to work on her game and change and adjust things.  

And as much as I'm not happy with her losing the ranking to Aryna Sabalenka, getting it back will allow her to cross another thing off her achievements a win over a world #1. 

I highly doubt Sabalenka will be able to post anywhere near as impressive a run as Iga's  

Something tells me Sabalenka will quickly find out it is easier to get to the top than it is to stay there.  

There's a reason Iga is only the 3rd woman in the sports history to stay on top 75 consecutive weeks at #1 on the first try. 

It's extremely hard constantly having a target on your back. Not everyone handles it well.  

I get the feeling that #1 ranking may be bounced around a bit the way it was between Alcaraz and Djokovic last year. 

Losing the #1 ranking was inevitable this year, but Iga can always get that back next year. 

What made me sad and  a little worried is the mental scar tissue Iga will now have with Ostapenko having lost to her 4 times without a single win. 

A lot of people have been saying Iga has a problem with big hitters because they take away her time on the ball,  which may be true but  it doesn't explain why her H2H with Sabalenka (who's as big a hitter as they come) is a very positive one. 

An argument can also be made for Rybakina with whom Iga also has a negative H2H but their last couple of meetings Iga wasn't fully healthy so to me they don't completely count. 

With Ostapenko at the moment it's all mental more than anything else I think. Jelena is totally in her head. 

It's why she was able to win the first set and than seemed completely lost and error prone in the 3rd.

She did at one time have a 3-0 H2H with Maria Sakkari  but eventually worked it out and turned it around so there's definitely hope. 

I believe Iga will work harder and come back even stronger. But it may take some time. 

Thankfully something she has plenty of being only 22. 

I am so grateful to have witnessed Iga's journey and her incredible historic run as world number 1 over the past few years.  I couldn't be more proud to hail from Poland. 

I have no doubt you'll get back to the top more than once in your career Iga. There will be many more successes to come over the years of that I'm also certain. Hope you get some well deserved rest now. 

Because the season is far from over.

See you in Guadalajara.


Jazda!