Swiatek banks on renewed confidence as Medvedev battles to regain lost form

NEW YORK, Sept 2 : The U.S. Open kicks off its second round on Wednesday, with seventh seed Daniil Medvedev looking to shake off his struggles in the lead-up to the tournament, while former champion Iga Swiatek looks to build on newfound confidence.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka also continues her title defence, while ex-finalist Jessica Pegula looks to end the Belarusian's reign as the world's number one. 

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Despite winning Wimbledon last year, Swiatek could not make the most of the season, suffering two semifinal exits at the Australian Open and the French Open, before losing in the U.S. Open's quarterfinals.

She partnered with coach Francisco Roig in April, working to improve her serve and forehand. But the results were not immediate as she exited the French Open in the fourth round, before a third-round stumble at Wimbledon.

But the eighth seed clinched a smooth victory in the U.S. Open's first round, boosting her confidence as the six-time Grand Slam winner looks to claim a second U.S. Open title.

"I just feel like my work clicked. All these things that I needed to do with Francis ... it became more automatic," Swiatek said. "I'm happy that this work paid off and it's getting the results now."

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Former champion Medvedev has often struggled with consistency on the biggest stages, as he has yet to reach a Grand Slam's quarterfinals since the 2024 U.S. Open.

The 30-year-old suffered a third-round loss at Wimbledon in July and things went further downhill last month with early exits from three tournaments. But Medvedev looked calm and determined as he beat Hugo Gaston in straight sets in the first round.

"Last couple of weeks weren't easy,