Iga Swiatek had to rally from a set down against Jule Niemeier at the US Open which is why she isn't taking this round-one matchup against the same player lightly.
It was a really strong performance from Niemeir in New York and it's unlikely that she'll repeat that in Melbourne. Even so, Swiatek is not risking anything as she's well aware how well the German can play even if her level hasn't been great lately. She spoke about the US Open clash ahead of the Melbourne one:
"You saw how intense that match was, how tough. It's not going to be easy. But on the other hand, any match at a Grand Slam is always more intense and more stressful than other tournaments. I'll be ready for it. It's nice also that we played not so long ago, so I can take a lot from that match. Now I know how her ball feels on the racquet. But she has the same. So we'll see."
Asked if she changed anything in her game, Swiatek said that she didn't because it worked:
"I would say the differences are going to be smaller. I think it's normal because when you get to the point where your ball is pretty fast, it's not like you can make it even faster because you're going to kind of lose control. There are kind of limits in terms of that. For me, it's all about staying kind of solid and actually not changing a lot. It worked, so why would I change a lot?"
And concluded with:
"[If you look at] the greatest players that are consistent throughout their whole careers, it's not like Novak changed a lot in his game since a few years ago. I think it matters to be able to just be consistent with the best game you have."