"I'm happy with my level of concentration. In Cincinnati I had ups and downs", welcomed the 21-year-old Polish, after dismissing the American 6-3, 6-2, in 1h15, on the Arthur Ashe where she played for the first time in her career.

In mid-August, in Ohio, as in Toronto just before, Swiatek had been stopped in the round of 16, then seeming very feverish, as if lacking in bearings, far from the stratospheric level which was his in the spring.

Irresistible, she had chained 37 victories and six titles in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome then Roland-Garros, until her fall in the third round at Wimbledon.

Her hardly convincing preparation seems to be only a bad memory and even the balls, objects of criticism on her part because different from those used by the men, do not seem to pose any more problems to her, as she has shown herself to be intractable against Stephens .

This authoritative success is enough to give her confidence for her New York campaign, she who has never passed the stage of the round of 16 at the US Open.

Titled at Roland-Garros this year for the second time after 2020, Swiatek will face another American, Lauren Davis (105th) in the third round.

A few moments earlier, in the virtual anonymity of court N.17, the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (26th) qualified, dismissing 6-2, 6-3 the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk (65th).

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This meeting, during which a Ukrainian flag was very briefly deployed in the stands, was announced tense in the context of the war born from the Russian invasion in this country.

A close ally, Belarus has allowed Moscow to use its territory to launch attacks in Ukraine.

"My decision"

It ultimately passed off without incident.

But when greeting each other at the end, Kostyuk initiated a slight clash of rackets - a gesture introduced during the Covid period - instead of shaking Azarenka's hand.

"It was my decision. I didn't feel like it," explained the Ukrainian.

"She has never come to me to tell me what she thinks (of the war). I have nothing against her personally. I just feel that she has such an important role, as a member of the Player Council in the WTA, and also outside of tennis, in her country. I think she could have done more."

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The Belarusian defended himself for not having wanted to speak to Kostyuk.

"I've offered to do it several times through the WTA. I've been told it's not the right time."

Former world N.1, triple finalist of the New York Major, she will be opposed in the next round to the Croatian Petra Martic (54th), who had the scalp of the Spaniard Paula Badosa (4th).

Other notable qualifiers among women, the American Jessica Pegula (8th), the Swiss Belinda Bencic (13th) or the Czech Petra Kvitova (21st).

Among the men, the Italian Jannik Sinner (13th) and the Croatian Marin Cilic (17th) also held their ranks, to advance to 8th.

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Rafael Nadal (3rd), who is looking to bring his record of Grand Slam titles to 23 in New York, will play the last scheduled match on the Arthur Ashe, against the Italian Fabio Fognini (35th).

Just before, on this same court, the show and the emotion should be part of the famous "last dance" of Serena Williams, since she will play a doubles match with her older sister Venus.

© 2022 AFP