Iga Swiatek reflected on a "mindblowing" Flushing Meadows experience after clinching her first US Open title with yet another straight-sets final win.
Swiatek defeated Ons Jabeur 6-2 7-6 (7-5) in New York on Saturday to win her third major – all of them in straight sets.
The world number one is only the second WTA player to win her first six grand slam final sets in the Open Era, after Lindsay Davenport.
In fact, Swiatek has now won her past 10 finals in two sets, becoming the first woman to do so in the 21st century.
Seven of those have come in 2022 – Serena Williams, in 2014, was the last player to win as many Tour-level finals in a season – as Swiatek has dominated.
However, the Pole explained after beating Jabeur how "challenging" it was to win a second slam in the same season, having already taken the title at the French Open.
Angelique Kerber was the last WTA player to win multiple majors in a single year back in 2016, while Williams, in 2013, was the last to double up at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows.
Asked how she rose to the occasion once again, Swiatek replied: "I don't know, honestly.
"I'm just not expecting a lot. Especially before this tournament, it was such a challenging time. Coming back after wining a grand slam is always tricky, even if Roland Garros was the second one.
"I really needed to stay composed and focused on the goals.
"For sure this tournament was really challenging also, because it's New York, it's so hard, it's so crazy. There were so many temptations in the city, so many people I've met who were so inspiring.
"It's really mindblowing for me. I'm so proud I could handle it mentally."
This was Swiatek's fifth match against Jabeur, and victory gave her a 3-2 lead in their head-to-head.
"Ons, such an amazing tournament, such an amazing season," the top seed added. "I know this is already a pretty nice rivalry.
"I know we're going to have many more, and I'm pretty sure you're going to win some of them, so don't worry."
Swiatek is the first Polish female player to win the US Open in the Open Era, and she was asked how her latest success would be received.
"I don't know. I've got to go back home and check," she answered. "I'm pretty sure it's a lot; I can even hear what's going on right now in the stadium.
"Right now, we've got to stay united and really support ourselves and stay together. I'm pretty happy I could unite people with our sport, and I'm proud tennis is getting more and more popular at home."
French Open doubles pair disqualified after Miyu Kato hits ball girl with ball
A doubles pair were defaulted from the French Open on Sunday after Japanese player Miyu Kato hit a ball girl in the head with a ball.
Kato and her Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi, the 16th seeds, were leading Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-6 (1) 1-3 in the third round of the women’s doubles when the Japanese player hit the ball down to the other end of the court at the end of a point.
Unaware that the ball was coming, the ball girl was struck directly on the head and began crying.
The umpire originally gave Kato a warning but, with Czech Bouzkova and Spaniard Sorribes Tormo pointing out the girl’s distress, the supervisor and referee were called to Court 14.
Kato apologised to the ball girl and lengthy discussions took place before the decision was made to disqualify the pair, who appeared incredulous, amid booing from the crowd.
The incident comes a day after 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva admitted she feared she would be defaulted after she angrily swiped a ball into the crowd during her singles match with Coco Gauff.
It is three years, meanwhile, since Novak Djokovic was defaulted from the US Open after hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball swatted away in annoyance.
French Open day seven: Coco Gauff wins teenage battle as Iga Swiatek marches on
Coco Gauff fought off the challenge of 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva to reach the fourth round of the French Open.
Gauff came back from a set down to defeat the Russian 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-1 while Iga Swiatek hammered Wang Xinyu 6-0 6-0, but Elena Rybakina was forced to withdraw because of illness.
In the men’s event, Casper Ruud and Holger Rune are on track for a quarter-final meeting, while Alexander Zverev defeated Frances Tiafoe in the night match.
Picture of the dayStat of the dayShot of the dayJunior progress
Cameron Norrie’s third-round exit completed a miserable French Open for Britain’s senior singles players but, after several years of very little junior presence, there are six British competitors in the main draws of the boys’ and girls’ singles, including 14-year-old qualifier Hannah Klugman.
Fallen seeds
Men: Taylor Fritz (9), Frances Tiafoe (12), Borna Coric (15)
Women: Elena Rybakina (4), Ekaterina Alexandrova (23)
Who’s up next?
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Novak Djokovic will hope to have a more comfortable afternoon than against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina when he takes on Juan Pablo Varillas in the fourth round.
Carlos Alcaraz meets Lorenzo Musetti while the first women’s night session of the year sees Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka meet former finalist Sloane Stephens.
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will bid to keep his strong form going against Sebastian Ofner while Elina Svitolina meets Russian Daria Kasatkina.
Paris Saint-Germain 2-3 Clermont: Messi and Ramos denied winning send-off as visitors fight back
Paris Saint-Germain failed to muster a winning send-off for Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos as they ended the Ligue 1 season by squandering a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss against Clermont.
Early goals for the Spaniard and Kylian Mbappe put the champions on top at Parc des Princes, before Johan Gastien, Mehdi Zeffane and Grejohn Kyei completed a stirring comeback from the visitors.
It was a damp last note for ex-LaLiga heroes Messi and Ramos, who leave Paris as two-time league champions but without having won supporters' hearts – with Messi booed ahead of kick-off.
Likewise, it may prove a dour final chapter for coach Christophe Galtier, who is widely tipped to depart despite leading PSG to a record 11th league title.
PSG, who wore shirts adorned with the name of injured team-mate Sergio Rico in the first half, needed VAR to rescue them after Kyei prodded home an early finish.
The hosts promptly seized control, with Ramos netting a farewell header from Vitinha's delivery before Mbappe doubled their lead with an excellent penalty following Alidu Seidu's foul on Achraf Hakimi.
Clermont refused to fold though, with Gastien capitalising on Marco Verratti's mistake to halve the arrears and Zeffane bundling in a leveller either side of Kyei putting a spot-kick wide in a thrilling first half.
Messi, who misfired on his farewell, spurned a chance to finish Mbappe's square ball after the restart before Kyei nosed the visitors in front with a close-range finish.
PSG continued to toil for an equaliser in the closing stages and Messi almost stole a point in the final minute of injury time, only for goalkeeper Mory Diaw to stop his direct free-kick with an acrobatic save.
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