The past two weeks have been a whirlwind for Iga Świątek. On August 18, she captured her first Cincinnati Masters crown, adding another hard-court trophy to her collection. Less than 24 hours later, she boarded a flight to New York for the revamped US Open mixed doubles event.
Partnering with Casper Ruud, the Polish star battled through two marathon 90-minute matches on Day 2, first upsetting top seeds Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper in a semifinal tiebreak, then falling in a narrow final against defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
Now, as she reflects on that hectic schedule, Świątek has a single complaint about the organizers, one that mirrors Carlos Alcaraz’s similar situation.
What Complaint Did Iga Świątek Have About The Tight Schedule?
When asked about the timing of the mixed doubles format, Świątek praised its intention but suggested a simple adjustment. “No, I think the format is the only way actually the singles players could play without it influencing the singles tournament, which obviously we want to avoid. It makes sense.”
However, she added that moving the Cincinnati finals slightly earlier might help players manage the transition. “I think maybe the Cincinnati final could have been earlier, if that’s possible or something, because that was just the toughest part for me. But obviously for me only. Like Carlos finished a bit earlier. Jasmine pulled out. Yeah, I think this could be the only change.”
Regarding the compressed mixed doubles match lengths, she said, “Format to play only up to four, four games, I think it’s fine. I think obviously it’s short, but I think you can still see who’s better kind of.” She noted that the final being first to six games “makes sense because, I don’t know, we could come back,” with a smile.
Errani & Vavassori d. Iga Swiatek & Casper Ruud 6-3 5-7 10-6
SARA & ANDREA WIN BACK TO BACK US OPEN MIXED DOUBLES TITLES.
The only true mixed doubles team in the draw.
Defending champions who got in as wildcards.
Mission accomplished.
Statement made.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 21, 2025
Świątek’s feedback reflects the challenge of back-to-back commitments: finishing a grueling Masters tournament and immediately transitioning to mixed doubles under a new short-set structure. By shifting the Cincinnati finals even a few hours earlier, she argues, both she and Alcaraz could have enjoyed a small but welcome breather between their title runs and the New York competition.
How Did Świątek and Carlos Alcaraz’s Tight Schedule Unfold?
On August 18, Alcaraz dominated Jannik Sinner 5-0 before Sinner’s retirement to claim his first Cincinnati Masters title of the season. Świątek, meanwhile, defeated Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 in the women’s final. Both champions then took flights to New York early on August 19, going straight into mixed doubles preparation.
The Świątek and Ruud partnership faced an exhausting Day 2 schedule. Their semifinal against Pegula and Draper lasted approximately 90 minutes, with the Polish-Norwegian duo winning a grueling 3-5, 5-3, [10-8] battle.
Just hours later, they faced Errani and Vavassori in the final, pushing the defending champions through another near-90-minute contest before falling 6-3, 5-7, [10-6]. Following the final, Świątek acknowledged the mixed doubles prowess of the winners during her on-court interview.
Alcaraz followed a similar script: champion in Ohio, then partnering with Emma Raducanu on August 19, only to lose to the top-seeded Pegula and Draper. The Spanish star also noted the scheduling strain and echoed the need for any adjustment that could ease transitions between these marquee events. “It’s good. The scheduling is not the best to be honest,” he had said.
