US Open: Iga Swiatek among 'small circle' of favourites in 'unpredictable' event, says Barbara Schett

Iga Swiatek cannot be written off winning a US Open title for the first time in her career, according to Eurosport tennis expert Barbara Schett. Swiatek had an incredible first half of the season, becoming world No. 1 after Ash Barty’s retirement from the sport, and went on a 37-match winning streak that included the French Open title.

Ad However, the 21-year-old was beaten in the third round of Wimbledon and has exited the early stages of the two WTA tournaments she has played in the build-up to Flushing Meadows. US Open‘Swiatek must come to grips with it’ – McEnroe gives his take on US Open ball debateA DAY AGO “You have to say she has still had a phenomenal year even though she lost a couple of times in the third round now,” Schett said. “She had that loss against Alize Cornet at Wimbledon.

But in tennis, you win, you lose. Nobody can win every week, it's impossible. At the end of the day, she had shown so much consistency throughout this whole year.

“She's still has all this experience at Grand Slam events. You can't write her off, you still have to put her in that small circle of players who could win your title, that's for sure.” Due to Swiatek’s dip in form, there are no clear contenders for the US Open, which takes place from August 29 to September 11. Caroline Garcia won the Cincinnati Open last weekend to become the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 title.

Schett is enjoying how open the final Grand Slam of the year is set to be. “It's very unpredictable,” she said. “Iga has lost a few matches early on, I think a couple of third round matches she's lost now in that swing in America.