Iga Swiatek was thrilled Tuesday afternoon, and her easy first-round victory in the U.S. Open was only part of the reason for her upbeat mood.
Just as the second seed was easily dispatching Emiliana Arango 6-1, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, news broke that pop icon Taylor Swift had gotten engaged to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Her team showed her Swift’s post on Instagram, and she immediately began texting her fellow Swiftie friends.
Iga Swiatek reacts after scoring a point against Emiliana Arango during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships. AP
“Well, I’m just happy for her, because she deserves the best,” Swiatek said during her news conference. “Obviously she had a lot of boyfriends, so we know all about that. So hopefully this one will, you know, stick forever. Travis seems like a great guy. She seems super happy, so I’m happy for her. I wish them all the best, yeah.”
A member of the media laughed, and Swiatek paused midsentence.
“What’s the laugh?” Swiatek wondered. “She does.”
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, right, is congratulated by Taylor Swift as they celebrate the Chiefs victory over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship. APMost of her media session centered on Swift and the six-time Grand Slam champion’s love of her music.
She recounted her fandom for Swift and her affinity for the star’s different albums. In 2017, Swiatek wasn’t thrilled with “Reputation,” but “Folklore” and “Evermore” drew her back in.
She listened to her recent podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce, hoping to find hints about her next album.
Here is the latest Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news
- Page Six live updates: The latest on Travis and Taylor’s engagement
- https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/entertainment/heres-whats-next-for-taylor-swift-and-travis-kelce-after-crushing-super-bowl-2025-loss/Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift are engaged — couple announces with stunning photos
- https://nypost.com/2025/02/11/sports/travis-kelces-reaction-to-taylor-swift-being-booed-at-super-bowl-2025-revealed/Everything you need to know about Taylor Swift’s engagement ring
- https://nypost.com/2025/02/10/sports/taylor-swift-comforting-travis-kelce-after-super-bowl-2025-loss/Brittany Mahomes, Gracie Hunt react to Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce engagement
- https://nypost.com/sports/taylor-swift-and-travis-kelces-full-relationship-timeline/Chiefs expect Travis Kelce retirement soon as Taylor Swift engagement announced
At one point, Swiatek was asked if they could switch the topic to tennis, and she jokingly said “no.” The news conference, fittingly, ended with a question about when exactly Swiatek learned of the news.
“She posted when I finished,” Swiatek said. “Maybe that’s not a coincidence. I don’t know.”
Upset of the Day
During a day session that went almost entirely chalk, there was one surprise. Ashlyn Krueger rebounded from a slow start to take down No. 26 seed Sofia Kenin 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 on the Grandstand. Krueger broke Kenin’s serve seven times, and on three occasions in the one-sided final set. She also held a 29-16 advantage in winners.
Krueger, 21, enjoyed her best result at a Grand Slam at last year’s U.S. Open, where she reached the third round, knocking off No. 21 Mirra Andreeva in the second round. Krueger will face unseeded Jaqueline Cristian on Thursday.
