NEW YORK -- US Open fans had a rare opportunity to watch Iga Swiatek play in a more intimate setting on Thursday, and she rewarded them with a dominant performance that was never in doubt.
Playing each other for the first time since the French Open semifinals six years ago, the World No. 8 made quick work of Argentinian Nadia Podoroska, winning 6-3, 6-2 in the Grandstand in a little over an hour.
Swiatek was highly efficient on her serve, making 79 percent of her first serves and winning 78 percent of those points. She was never broken.
The only legitimate threat from Podoroska, who had defeated Simona Waltert in three sets in her opening match, came late in the first set. After holding to cut Swiatek's lead to 5-3 in the opener, she had three opportunities to break. Swiatek responded with two unreturned serves before bringing it to deuce. After two more deuces, Swiatek converted her second set point when Podoroska's forehand landed just wide.
The second set had no such drama, as Swiatek jumped out to a 5-1 lead and won the match with a gorgeous crosscourt backhand that Podoroska couldn't get to.
Despite the lopsided score, it was a clean match from Podoroska, who hit 11 winners to just 12 unforced errors. (Swiatek's ratio was only slightly better, with 14 winners to 13 unforced errors.) But Swiatek's superior serve, return game and net play kept her comfortably in front throughout.
Swiatek moves into the third round of the US Open, where she'll play 25th seed Marie Bouzkov. Bouzkova defeated Britain's Harriet Dart 6-2, 6-2 later on Thursday to advance.
Swiatek has won all three of her WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz meetings with Bouzkova, the most recent of which was a 6-2, 6-3 win at the Australian Open earlier this year. Bouzkova has never taken a set off Swiatek.
2nd match in a row she didn't face a break point or lose serve. 1st time she played on Grandstand since 2021.