Iga Swiatek gives 'best friend' Kaja Juvan a long hug during net exchange after destroying her in US Open 3R

Iga Swiatek offered her ‘best friend’ Kaja Juvan a long hug after destroying her in the third round of the 2023 US Open.

Swiatek put on a clinical performance as she took on Slovenian qualifier Juvan in the Round of 32 on Friday. The match saw the World No. 1 dish out 21 winners against Juvan’s two. The Pole earned 50 total points while allowing her opponent just 15 as she let slip only one game throughout the contest.

Swiatek, who is the defending champion, required just 49 minutes to close out the encounter with a 6-0, 6-1, scoreline.

Despite being annihilated by the World No. 1, Kaja Juvan kept her chin up and maintained a smile as she approached the net after the match. In a touching moment, Iga Swiatek, who considers the Slovenian her ‘best friend’, gave her an extended hug as they patted each other on the back.

“She's my best friend on tour. She's one of the most, like, honest and I think smart people on tour. I'm happy that she's my friend. It's a tricky situation, but I think we both know how to be professional,” Swiatek had said before the match.

The 2023 US Open marked the pair’s third encounter on tour, with Swiatek winning the previous two matches as well.

Their first meeting came at the Gippsland Trophy, where the Pole secured a comeback win. They next met at the 2021 French Open where Swiatek earned a straight-sets victory.

---

Iga Swiatek to take on Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round of the 2023 French Open

Swiatek is the US Open defending champion

Iga Swiatek has booked her place in the fourth round of the US Open for the third year running, thus keeping her title defense hopes alive. Before her victory over Kaja Juvan, the 2022 champion defeated Rebecca Peterson and Daria Saville in the first and second rounds, respectively.

The Pole, who faces a threat to her World No. 1 ranking at the event, is looking to end up with at least one extra win than her rival and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in order to keep her pole position intact.

Swiatek, in pursuit of her fifth Grand Slam, will now face the tough test of former World No. 5 and fellow French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday.

The Latvian secured her place in the Round of 16 after victories over Jasmine Paolini, Elina Avanesyan, and Bernarda Pera.

It is worth noting that Swiatek is yet to earn a single win against Jelena Ostapenko, and has lost on all three previous occasions. Their most recent face-off was at the 2022 Dubai Tennis Championships, where the eventual tournament champion edged out Swiatek in the deciding tiebreak in the second round.