World number one Iga Swiatek is heading to Roland Garros in a laid-back mood as she looks to win her second major title.
Swiatek won her first and only grand slam when she triumphed in Paris in 2020 as a teenager.
The 20-year-old – who rose to number one in the WTA rankings when Ash Barty retired in March – has been in sparkling form in 2020.
Having reached the Australian Open semi-finals, Swiatek has gone on to win five successive titles, becoming the fourth player since the turn of the century to manage that feat.
She became the third-youngest player to win her second title in Rome when she triumphed at the Internazionali d'Italia earlier this month, while she has won five of the last nine WTA 1000 titles.
Swiatek was defeated by Maria Sakkari in last year's quarter-finals at Roland Garros, but feels she has little to prove going into the second major of the season.
"I'm more relaxed. I don't know about being nervous, because usually it comes closer to the match, so we will see," Swiatek, who has won her last 28 matches, told a media conference.
"But I'm more relaxed, because I have so many [ranking] points and I feel like my position in the WTA is already like, you know, I have worked for it.
"Already I've kind of proved to myself and to other people that I can be in the top of the game. Before I wasn't feeling that much confidence, so this year I feel much more peace.
"I'm taking the experience of the whole process, and playing seven matches in two weeks, having the routines. Also like getting to know how it is to go higher and higher in a grand slam.
"These kind of experiences help me not only for other grand slams but for many tournaments."
US Open: Sinner 'relaxed' about wrist issue ahead of final
Jannik Sinner is confident the wrist issue that troubled him during Friday's US Open semi-final win over Jack Draper is "nothing to be concerned about" ahead of Sunday's final.
Sinner reached his first final at Flushing Meadows with an impressive 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 success over Draper, who had not dropped a single set en route to the final four.
While Draper vomited at the side of the court after struggling with anxiety, Sinner also called for medical attention after tweaking his left wrist in the second set.
The world number one stayed in a brutal rally despite falling awkwardly when playing a lob from deep on the court, then got up to slam a brilliant forehand winner past Draper.
He immediately received treatment on the affected wrist but showed few signs of discomfort from then on to become Italy's first-ever male finalist at the US Open.
"The physio loosened it up very fast on court, so after I felt okay in the beginning. Then after it went away by playing, which is good," Sinner told reporters after his win.
"Let's see how it is tomorrow when it's cold. It's going to be a different feeling. Hopefully it is nothing to be concerned about.
"I'm quite relaxed, because if it's something bad, you feel it straightaway a bit more."
At the age of 23 years and 21 days, Sinner is the youngest man to reach the final at both the Australian Open and the US Open in a single year since the former event switched from grass surfaces in 1988, surpassing Roger Federer in 2004 (23 years, 34 days).
He will be up against a home favourite in Taylor Fritz on Sunday, and he accepts he will have to play the role of villain in the eyes of a raucous crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"It's normal. It's like when I play in Italy, so I'm going to accept that. I have my team and my people who are close to me," he said.
"In my mind, I know that there are many people watching from home from Italy, and I'll just take some support from them."
Fritz rallied to beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe in five sets having been both 1-0 and 2-1 down in Friday's second semi-final, and he said reaching the showpiece match represented the realisation of a lifelong dream in an emotional press conference.
"It's just how I am. I'm more of an emotional person when I'm happy. When I'm really happy I cry at happy endings of movies and not at sad stuff. That's just how I am," Fritz said.
"It's just joy, the crowd cheering and that realisation, like, 'wow, I'm in the finals of the US Open.
"It's such a lifelong dream come true. It's something I've worked my whole life for, to be in this situation. Realising that got me a little bit choked up."
US Open: Draper believes grand slam breakthrough 'a matter of time'
Jack Draper believes it is "only a matter of time" before he goes all the way at a grand slam, having come up short in the US Open semi-finals versus Jannik Sinner.
Draper enjoyed a breakout campaign at Flushing Meadows, reaching the last four without dropping a set having never previously gone beyond the second round at any major.
However, he was beaten 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 by Sinner, later saying he had struggled with anxiety after being seen vomiting at the side of the court on several occasions.
"I'm a bit spent but that's the nature of sport, especially tennis, it's relentless, mentally, physically, emotionally," Draper told Sky Sports.
"You have to have everything as a tennis player. I'm obviously very proud of myself, and I can look back on it.
"Right now, I'm a bit emotional, a bit 'gone' that it had to end in that way but you have to respect that Jannik is the number one player in the world and he's incredible.
"I came a bit unstuck today but hopefully I will have many opportunities in the future."
The Brit does not expect this to be his final chance on the biggest stage, targeting regular appearances at the back end of grand slams in future.
"I've still got a lot to improve. At the end of the day, I need to keep on improving my physicality, my mentality, the way I play," Draper added.
"But there's no reason why I don't belong at the top of the game with these guys. I proved that to myself on a few occasions this year.
"My goal now is to try and do it more consistently and put myself in front of these guys on a regular basis at the back end of tournaments.
"I think that is something I'm capable of. But it's just a matter of time."
US Open: Fritz reaches final with victory in all-American classic
Taylor Fritz will face Jannik Sinner in the US Open final after overcoming fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a five-set classic at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Both men were looking to take a huge step towards ending the United States' 21-year wait for a male champion at Flushing Meadows, and it was Tiafoe who took the opener despite giving up an early break, hitting back with two of his own in the fifth and seventh games.
Fritz rallied to take the second set, but Tiafoe came on strong again in the third, harnessing the support of the crowd and using his power to dominate rallies.
An early break proved enough for Tiafoe to go 2-1 up, and he found himself two games from victory at 4-4 in the fourth set.
However, a missed forehand at deuce gave Fritz set point, and Tiafoe then failed with an attempted drop shot to let his opponent force a decider.
The momentum switched from then on, with Fritz never looking back. He hit a massive backhand winner in his first return game of the decider to break, and though he later let a double-break advantage slip with a double fault, that was a momentary blip as he ran away with the fifth set.
After the win, Fritz hailed his coach Michael Russell for the calming effect he was able to exert after a tough start to the encounter.
"I felt I wasn't doing anything wrong, I was just getting overwhelmed," Fritz said. "I was freaking out a little bit and he told me to keep doing what I was doing, accept it was okay and keep making him do it. That helped to calm me down and let me know I was doing the right thing."
Data Debrief: Fritz the late bloomer
Among male players representing the United States, Fritz – at the age of 26 years and 313 days – is the second-oldest in the Open Era to reach a maiden grand slam final, after MaliVai Washington (27 years, 15 days) at Wimbledon in 1996.
It took Fritz 33 main-draw campaigns to reach his first major final, with only David Ferrer (42), Stanislas Wawrinka (36) and Kevin Anderson (34) requiring more in the Open Era.
He could become the first home winner of the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003 on Sunday, when he faces Sinner in the showpiece match.
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