At 2023 US Open, Iga Swiatek knows she’s the target. And that Aryna Sabalenka is on her heels.

FLASHBACK: Swiatek and Sabalenka last played in the Mutua Madrid Open final, where Sabalenak won in three sets.

NEW YORK—There may be myriad contenders for the 2023 US Open title, but from where top seed Iga Swiatek is sitting, it’s her against the field. And she’s used that.

“I know that I won many matches against these players in the past,” she said when asked how it feels to be “the target.”

“I understand their feelings. But, yeah, it doesn't really matter for me. I want to win anyway, no matter what they say.”

Swiatek has done a fine job of meeting ever-increasing expectations, coming into the final major tournament of 2023 looking to not only win a fifth major title but also defend the US Open crown she first won last summer.

Her biggest challenge came in the form of stiff opposition from rival Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. Playing with a fearlessness that foreshadowed her 2023 Australian Open victory, Sabalenka won the first set and led Swiatek by 4-2 in the final set before the Pole reeled off the last four games.

“I learned a lot during US Open,” recalled Swiatek. “This was probably the most important tournament in terms of me believing in myself and progressing on hard courts.”

I felt like everybody started to analyze my game, to learn little bit more. They kind of focused on winning with me. So, it wasn't easy. I felt that. On the other hand, if you want to be the best player in the world, you have to be ready for that. Iga Swiatek

Since then, Sabalenka has beaten Swiatek twice in their last three meetings, including once on hard courts at the WTA Finals, and the two are competing in Flushing for both the title and the No. 1 ranking, which is once again on the line.

Heading into Flushing with an 11-point lead, Sabalenka can become the 29th WTA world No. 1 if she matches or betters Swiatek’s US Open result. If Swiatek goes one round better, she will continue her as-yet unbroken streak of 73 weeks at the top.

“This is not something I'm really thinking during the tournament, during the matches,” insisted Sabalenka, who has had chances to usurp Swiatek at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

“I mean, I know that I had and probably I have opportunity to become world No. 1, but there is still a lot of job to be done. I'm, like, focusing on myself more than on the ranking. I know that if I'll bring my best tennis, if I'll do my best, I know that I'm able to do that. I'm trying to shift my focus more on myself, on my game, on improving myself more.”

Given how many points Swiatek had to defend in 2023, losing the top spot likely felt like a foregone conclusion—especially as Sabalenka earned and held onto No. 1 in the WTA Race rankings. Swiatek admits she’s had her doubts.

“I would say at the beginning of this season was pretty tough for me,” said Swiatek, still just 22 and currently binge-watching Veep. “I learned the most because I felt like everybody started to analyze my game, to learn little bit more. They kind of focused on winning with me. So, it wasn't easy. I felt that.

“On the other hand, if you want to be the best player in the world, you have to be ready for that. I learned that I should just focus on myself, not really think about rankings and points, just focus on developing as a player because there are many things I want to change or improve. When I think about that, when I really dig into work hard, that's the time where I progress the most, when my tennis is just getting better.”

Motivated to meet Swiatek’s high bar, Sabalenka also feels there’s room for improvement, even as she stands in the midst of her most consistent season to date.

“I feel really strong, physically and mentally, probably because of amount of matches I play this year, even stronger than before,” said the No. 2 seed in her Media Day press conference.

“Yeah, it should be a good balance between playing matches, between preparation, and the recovery. I have my physio and I have my team. They doing well in managing this amount of practicing and the recovery. So, physically, mentally I feel ready. I feel motivated. I feel strong.”

That strength evidently comes both from victories and defeats, for despite having suffered several heartbreaking semifinal defeats, Sabalenka believes a post-Slam shift in perspective allows her to more easily shake off disappointments.

“I was there, like, thinking more about building my tennis for the US Open so I can come here with couple of matches,” she said of her week at the Western & Southern Open, which ended with a second three-set semifinal defeat to Karolina Muchova.

“Yeah, you know what, I change my approach to these tournaments. Of course, I want to win all of them, like we all do. But, yeah, now I'm looking to those tournaments more like preparation for the Grand Slam. Yeah, I think it's changed a little bit after Australian Open. I don't know if it's good or bad! I hope it's good. But it is what it is.”

As far as Sabalenka is concerned, she’s just as big a target as Swiatek. And if she wants to end the season with a second major title, she’ll have to be ok with that.