New York (AFP) – Avowed Taylor Swift super-fan Iga Swiatek romped through her US Open first round assignment on Tuesday before offering congratulations to the pop star following her engagement to Travis Kelce. Swiatek had barely had time to leave the Arthur Ashe Stadium showcourt following her 6-1, 6-2 drubbing of Emiliana Arango before news of Swift & Kelce’s plans to tie the knot filtered through to Flushing Meadows in New York.
The 24-year-old world number two from Poland — regarded as a favourite to win her second US Open title — is a famously devoted fan of Swift’s music, previously revealing that the US singer’s music helped her learn English and navigate her adolescence. Swiatek also attended Swift’s money-spinning ‘Eras Tour’ last year, going to a concert in Liverpool following her victory at the French Open — a win that earned her a handwritten note of congratulations from the singer.
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Unsurprisingly, Swift’s looming nuptials dominated the discussion in Swiatek’s post-match press conference. The first nine questions to Swiatek from journalists related to Swift & Kelce’s engagement. “I’m just happy for her, because she deserves the best,” Swiatek said. “Obviously she had a lot of boyfriends, so we know all about that. So hopefully this one will stick forever. Travis seems like a great guy. She seems super happy, so I’m happy for her. I wish them all the best,” she added.
Swiatek then detailed her bona fides as a “Swiftie” — the nickname given to Swift’s legions of fanatical followers — revealing she first became a fan in 2014. “I just followed everything,” Swiatek said. “I was following her, but also some, like, fan pages to see the updates. When the ‘Reputation’ album came out, I’ve got to say I didn’t really like it that much. So I had a little break. But then in 2019 and when ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ were released during Covid, I started listening to Taylor again. It’s great. But I like ‘Reputation’ now. Don’t worry.”
Swiatek meanwhile said she was baffled by the “hate” directed at Swift. “I don’t get it, because she just makes our world better,” she said. When one reporter politely requested to ask a “non-Taylor question”, Swiatek jokingly replied: “No.”
Swiatek’s win on Tuesday made her the first woman in history to win 65 consecutive WTA-level first round games, surpassing Monica Seles’ previous record of 64. The six-time Grand Slam singles champion — a winner in New York in 2022 — will face the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens in the second round.
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