The legendary athletic trio has once again displayed a close cross-sports connection. The successors of slopes Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn share a long history that resulted in a friendship. Alpine skiing’s iconic face, Vonn won 82 World Cup victories while Shiffrin swept all five World Cup disciplines a year before — along with the super-G triumph in 2018. After Vonn retired in 2019, they began walking different paths, thereby ending the rivalry. When the spotlight was shining on rough conduct, athletes held their composure by encouraging one another.

Their compassion extended beyond skiing as they met another reigning tennis great. In contrast to snow skiing, the court comprised more female entities vying opposite one another. So, as the U.S. Open began, the victors banded together to support their friend.

Alpine greats cheer for dethroned bestie in court

The Sunday night at the 2023 US Open saw Latvian player Jelena Ostapenko win against Iga Swiatek in an intense fourth-round match. Jumping from the 20th position, she maintained her lead over Swiatek, winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. Swiatek’s American friends Vonn and Shiffrin openly expressed their support for her throughout the match. A fan took note of the heartwarming instances and posted a tweet from @hilshanskyi writing, “The way Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin support Iga Świątek and are always there for her is nothing but beautiful!”

There were far too many wholesome elements in the post: Firstly, a screenshot from Vonn’s story which showed an in-flight update where Swiatek was caught between actions. The fan also mentioned how renowned sports icons value the next generation of athletes. Sending in all the support, since this made Ostapenko the only WTA player with four victories over Swiatek.

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“So Happy About It”: 3 Months Before Kickstarting the Season Mikaela Shiffrin’s Candid Confession Leaves the Internet Gushing

Swiatek, who considers Shiffrin her ‘role model,’ frequently engages in positive exchanges with the athlete. Just last month, Swiatek declared taking a week off before the US Open, which came as a shock to her fans, while Shiffrin emerged as a breath of fresh air congratulating her. Before that, the winningest alpine skier courageously extended her support to Swiatek, showing solidarity as a real champion. However, it wasn’t just this year, while they’re quite a close-knit trio now, do you know there’s an unusual memory that connects them?

What makes Iga Swiatek look up to cross-platform friends

After kicking off her US Open championship with a bang winning over Rebecca Peterson, Swiatek quickly called renowned American skiers Shiffrin and Vonn “huge inspirations” in an interview. She drew comparatives between tennis and skiing. Explaining her stance, she shared, “The last time I skied was when I was seven, and I had a near-fatal accident, so I was very scared.” She added: “I’m not easily scared, but this made me stop.”

Despite being online friends for what feels like ages, the tennis player has yet to meet her idol, she said. She concluded by saying, “I haven’t met Mikaela yet since she’s always on tour, much like me, and finding time is difficult.” Despite being unable to connect in person, the American skiers and the Polish player continue to stand by one another, displaying true sportsmanship.

Watch This Story “Only Confidence I Wanna Have”: With ESPY Added to Her Long-List of Accomplishments Mikaela Shiffrin Shares a Heart-Felt Confession