There’s pressure, there’s expectation, and then there’s what Iga Świątek just pulled off. Right after grabbing the Cincinnati Open crown, she headed straight to New York for the 2025 US Open mixed doubles. There, paired up with Casper Ruud, the Polish star turned heads all over again — not only with her on-court play, but with the reaction it drew from Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s former coach.
Gilbert, who wasn’t afraid to call out Świątek’s scheduling during Cincinnati, suddenly flipped the script, going public with praise. What changed his mind, and what does it say about Świątek’s performance at this stage?
What Did Brad Gilbert Say About Iga Świątek’s Win at US Open Right After Cincinnati Title?
At the 2025 US Open, Świątek, who won the singles trophy in New York in 2022, took on the new mixed doubles format alongside Ruud. The duo, seeded third, got rolling with a 4-1, 4-2 victory over the American pair Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe.
Building on that early win, Świątek and Ruud kept up the momentum. They moved into the semifinals by knocking out the wildcard team of Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti, once again by a score of 4-1, 4-2 in the quarterfinals.
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Reacting to Świątek and Ruud reaching the semifinals at the 2025 US Open mixed doubles, Gilbert didn’t hold back on social media. He called Ruud’s play “impressive” and zeroed in on the quick turnaround made by the former World No. 1 after her Cincinnati title run. According to Gilbert, Świątek was “locked in” right from the start in New York.
“Very impressive mixed play from Ruud awakening 👻 and especially Iga Pop, she looked 👀 locked 🔒 in from 1st point of both matches. What a lightning ⚡️ quick turnaround from Cincy last night bravo 🙌 ,” Gilbert shared on X.
Very impressive mixed play from Ruud awakening 👻 and especially Iga Pop, she looked 👀 locked 🔒 in from 1st point of both matches. What a lightning ⚡️ quick turnaround from Cincy last night bravo 🙌
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) August 19, 2025
Now, after taking out McNally and Musetti in the quarterfinals, Świątek and Ruud face the top-seeded pair of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper for a spot in the final. The winner there will play either the defending champs, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, or the American duo Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison.
How Did Świątek Win the Title at Cincinnati Open?
Before turning heads in New York, Świątek was doing damage at the Cincinnati Open. Seeded third, she got a first-round bye and kicked off her campaign in the second round by getting past Anastasia Potapova.
The road to the fourth round featured a different twist: her next opponent, twenty-fifth seed Marta Kostyuk, had to withdraw with an injury, sending Świątek through and setting up a fourth-round matchup with Sorana Cîrstea. Świątek took care of business there too, advancing to the quarterfinals.
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In the quarterfinal, the six-time Grand Slam champ took down Anna Kalinskaya, seeded twenty-eighth, and booked her place in the final by defeating Elena Rybakina, the number nine seed, in the semis. To seal the Cincinnati Open title, Świątek battled past Jasmine Paolini, the seventh seed, with a 7-5, 6-4 win, locking up her eleventh WTA 1000 trophy.
