Iga Swiatek is set to begin her US Open campaign in New York against China's Xiyu Wang. The Polish star holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over her opponent.
The final Grand Slam of the season arrives amidst significant uncertainty on the women's tour. The race for the world number one ranking is wide open in New York, with Aryna Sabalenka defending her top spot from challengers like Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula. Several top players are entering the US Open with questions surrounding their form and fitness.
Among them is Iga Swiatek, who, despite encouraging signs in Toronto and Cincinnati, is still searching for the consistency that has eluded her in a season that has fallen short of her usual high standards. While Swiatek is the clear favorite on paper, this opening match will be an early test of her form at Flushing Meadows.
Swiatek aims to start strong and build momentum in a Grand Slam that could reignite her ambitions after a season without a Major title.
Location: Flushing Meadows, New York
Date: August 31, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
The two players have met twice before, with Iga Swiatek winning both encounters. Their first meeting was at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open, where Swiatek defeated Wang 6-1, 6-4. Just a few months later, at the Paris Olympics, the current world number eight won again, this time with a 6-3, 6-4 scoreline. In New York, Wang will be looking to break her losing streak, but she faces the tough challenge of finding a solution against a player who has yet to drop a set to her.
So far, 2026 has been a challenging year for Iga Swiatek, with results falling short of the standards she has set. After reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, she experienced a series of disappointing outcomes, including a surprising early exit in Miami and a clay-court season where she failed to regain her top form.
Even on her preferred surface, she suffered several early losses, culminating in a third-round defeat at Wimbledon to Alex Eala. This string of results contributed to her slide to eighth in the world rankings, dropping her out of the top five. However, a turnaround began on the North American hard courts this summer. Swiatek finally captured her first title of the year in Toronto, defeating Elena Rybakina in the final. She followed that up with a semifinal run in Cincinnati, where she was stopped by Jessica Pegula.
This late-season resurgence provides her with renewed confidence as she arrives at the US Open, hoping to prove that the struggles of the past few months are behind her.
Xiyu Wang began her 2026 season on the ITF circuit, where she strung together 13 consecutive wins to claim the W35 and W50 titles in Maanshan before reaching the semifinals in Luan. She continued her strong form on clay, winning the W50 in Baotou and making the semifinals in Huzhou.
In Paris, she successfully navigated the qualifying rounds to reach the fourth round of the French Open, where her run was ended by Sorana Cirstea. However, after losing the WTA 125 final in Brescia to Mayar Sherif, she has struggled through Wimbledon and the North American hard-court swing, suffering first-round defeats in Memphis and Toronto.
The US Open is held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York City. The complex spans 46.5 acres and features 22 courts, with the main court being Arthur Ashe Stadium. With a capacity of 23,771, it is the largest tennis-specific stadium in the world.
The courts feature a Laykold surface, which was introduced in 2020 to replace DecoTurf. This surface is known for its lower friction and a lower ball bounce compared to other hard courts. In addition to the tournament courts, the facility includes 16 practice courts—12 indoor and 4 clay—for public use. Since 2006, the entire complex has been named in honor of tennis legend Billie Jean King, who won 16 titles at the event across various categories starting in 1964.
In the United States, fans can watch the first round match between Iga Swiatek and Xiyu Wang on the Tennis Channel. Or it can be streamed live on Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or YouTube TV.
Match Spread (Games)
Iga Swiatek | -6.5 | -120 |
Xiyu Wang | +6.5 | -120 |
Money Line
Iga Swiatek | -1600 |
Xiyu Wang | +900 |
Total Sets
2 Sets | -400 |
3 Sets | +275 |
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All odds written in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.