This has continued into the US Open<\/a>, where Swiatek achieved a world record<\/a> in her first round match.<\/p>\n Swiatek has struggled more in her most recent US Open matches<\/a>, but a match she played against her \u2018best friend\u2019 in New York has now been brought back to the limelight.<\/p>\n Swiatek<\/a> and Slovenian WTA<\/a> player Kaja Juvan grew up playing tennis together as teenagers, and actually won a gold medal together at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.<\/p>\n However, both players were forced to put their friendship to one side when they reached the third round of the US Open in 2023.<\/p>\n Showing that she was the top seed and defending champion at the time, Swiatek thrashed Juvan, 6-0 6-1, in just 49 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium.<\/p>\n Despite reaching the fourth round in such convincing fashion, Swiatek admitted in her post-match interview that she did not actually enjoy it.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t like the fact I was kind of winning against my best friend,\u201d Swiatek said at the time. \u201cI knew I had to be focused and not let myself think about that. Playing her is like playing a sister. I don\u2019t have many friends but she\u2019s my best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Two years later after losing in the first round of US Open qualifying, Juvan invited fans to ask her questions.<\/p>\n One of these questions asked Juvan if she still speaks to Swiatek, to which she confirmed she does, but suggested that it is not very often.<\/p>\n Juvan wrote on her Instagram story, \u201cYes we still talk sometimes. I\u2019ve known her for a very long time. She\u2019s been doing amazing (smiling face emoji).\u201d<\/p>\n That was not the only question that Juvan was asked relating to Swiatek, as she was also asked to predict who she thinks will win the US Open.<\/p>\n Juvan shortlisted many players including Swiatek as potential contenders for the women\u2019s singles title at the US Open, but her men\u2019s US Open singles comments were perhaps more notable.<\/p>\n The Slovenian suggested that she would like Novak Djokovic<\/a> to win the US Open title, but admitted that Jannik Sinner<\/a> and Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> may have too much for the 38-year-old.<\/p>\n \u201cI think there are some really good candidates,\u201d said Juvan. \u201cObviously Iga won Cincinnati, [Aryna] Sabalenka is playing really amazing, I really like how [Karolina] Muchova is playing and [Barbora] Krejcikova\u2026Taylor Townsend is playing really amazing. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd from the boys, I think it would be nice to see Djokovic win, but Alcaraz and Sinner are really consistent right now, let\u2019s see.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Iga](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2231847856-1024x630.jpg\")
Photo by Robert Prange\/Getty ImagesKaja Juvan reveals if she still speaks to \u2018best friend\u2019 Iga Swiatek<\/p>\n![\"Kaja](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_8911-592x1024.jpg\")
Kaja Juvan reveals which ATP player she thinks it would be \u2018nice\u2019 to see win the US Open<\/p>\n