Iga Swiatek raced into the third round at the Australian Open on a hot and sunny Thursday before the fellow Grand Slam winner Emma Raducanu set up an intriguing match against the second seed with a convincing win.
Swiatek’s Polish colleague Hubert Hurkacz had his days, though, with the 18th seed losing in straight sets to Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic while Ons Jabeur progressed with a clear illness.
Back-to-back champion Jannik Sinner will open the evening session after that, while fellow Italians Jasmine Paolini and Matteo Berrettini are also involved in a wild fifth day at the first major of the year.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek broke from the blocks at sun-kissed Rod Laver Arena to knock out Rebecca Sramkova 6-0 6-2, a day after erratic showers sabotaged the crowd at Melbourne Park.
The 2022 Australian Open semi-finalist dragged Slovak Sramkova up the middle in the first set to take a 5-0 lead just over 20 minutes into the second set and win the opening set with her third break in three attempts (losing only 10 points).
There was cheering from the stands when Sramkova found herself on the board after some light ties in the second set. She did not face the gallows of “double bagel”, but there was only more frustration to come as Swiatek got one more level.
The Pole came roaring back to take the set 4-2 when Sramkova hit a backhand into the net, before taking the match to a wrap to get a date with fellow former US Open winner Raducanu.
“Oh I was definitely good for sure, it was a really good game. I’m glad I focused,” Swiatek, who slipped to No2 in the world rankings before a one-month doping ban was served late last year.
‘A lot of times leading like that will have issues in the future because then your concentration is lost, but I am happy I was solid.
Raducanu, who has been hit with injury since her New York win in 2021, needed an off-court medical break for a suspected left hip injury at set’s 0-3 against Amanda Anisimova, before beating the American 6-3 7-5.
The Briton told me she was enjoying the fight with Swiatek.
“I’m loving it. It’s another game I can put to the test,” Raducanu, who had not advanced past the third round at Melbourne previously, added.
“Obviously she’s got so much done. I suppose I’ll just go into it like, hey, I’ve got nothing to lose, and I’m gonna swing. So I’ll give it my best.
“I can’t wait to play in front of you guys”.
Jabeur of Tunisia – in the race to be the first African and Arab woman to win a major – defeated Camila Osorio 7-5 6-3, but broke down crying in a medical timeout because she didn’t stop touching her chest and coughing.
Another waited patiently, Hurkacz, who suffered blisters on his left foot and was 6-4 6-4 6-2 adrift of Kecmanovic in front of a massive crowd of Polish fans at John Cain Arena.
Daria Kasatkina took the no 9 seed through 6-2 6-0 win over Wang Yafan, while Dayana Yastremska destroyed Danka Kovinic in 6-0 6-1 loss.