Iga Swiatek enters US Open back at No. 2 in the rankings and back on top of her game

On the day last month that Iga Swiatek resoundingly announced to the world that she was, most definitively, back at her best — ready once again to dominate her opponents and, indeed, all of women's tennis — she already was looking ahead.

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"After a few days of celebrating," Swiatek said, just hours into her status as a Wimbledon champion by virtue of a 6-0, 6-0 victory in the final there, "I'm going to need to get back on hard courts and grind and grind and grind."

The work is paying off.

As she now goes to the U.S. Open, which starts in New York on Sunday, it's only fair to look at Swiatek the way the world did not all that long ago: as a player with the talent and mindset to succeed on all surfaces, in all conditions, against all players.

The 24-year-old from Poland who already owns six major titles — and needs only an Australian Open trophy to complete a career Grand Slam — has returned to her elite status, not to mention returned to No. 2 in the rankings, behind only Aryna Sabalenka and ahead of Coco Gauff.