World No 2 Iga Swiatek celebrates win and talks on engagement at US Open

Dubai: Iga Swiatek made a winning start to her US Open campaign on Tuesday — and then switched from tennis to Taylor Swift.

The 24-year-old Pole brushed aside Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-1, 6-2 to cruise into the second round at Flushing Meadows, setting a new milestone with her 65th consecutive first-round victory at WTA events. Yet her dominant performance was almost overshadowed by events off the court.

News of Swift’s engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce broke just as Swiatek was wrapping up her match. By the time she arrived for her post-match press conference, reporters were more interested in the pop icon than in her forehand winners.

“I’m just happy for her, because she deserves the best,” Swiatek said. “She seems super happy, so I’m happy for her. I wish them all the best.”

Swiatek has long worn her Swift fandom on her sleeve. She has credited the singer’s music with helping her learn English as a teenager, attended an Eras Tour concert in Liverpool after winning the 2022 French Open, and even received a handwritten note of congratulations from Swift.

Her knowledge of Swift’s catalogue runs deep. This week she admitted she initially struggled to connect with the Reputation album before rediscovering it during the pandemic years when Folklore and Evermore were on repeat.

That authenticity has made her the most vocal “Swiftie” on tour, a label she embraces with humour. When one journalist requested to ask a “non-Taylor question” on Tuesday, Swiatek laughed and said: “No.”

The crossover between tennis and pop culture is nothing new at the US Open, where celebrity sightings are as much a tradition as marathon matches. But Swiatek’s blend of dominance on court and Swiftie enthusiasm has given this year’s tournament an added layer of cultural buzz.

While other stars such as Coco Gauff and Serena Williams have nodded to Swift in the past, none have woven fandom so openly into their public persona. For Swiatek, it makes her both relatable and marketable — a champion who speaks the language of her generation.

Swiatek now faces the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens in the second round as she chases a second US Open crown. Another title would enhance her growing legacy — and, who knows, maybe bring another message from her favourite pop star.