MELBOURNE, Australia — Iga Swiatek has a knack for quickly making her mark in the opening week of Grand Slam tournaments.
The five-time Grand Slam champion showcased her prowess by breezing past Rebecca Sramkova with a decisive score of 6-0, 6-2 in just one hour at the Australian Open on Thursday. This match continued her pattern of swift advances through the tournament’s early stages.
Remarkably, Swiatek is the only competitor this decade to have reached the third round or beyond at every Grand Slam event. With nearly 12% of her sets won by a score of 6-0, she clearly stands out among her peers.
In a moment of celebration, Sramkova, ranked No. 49, raised her arm to acknowledge the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd after breaking a seven-game losing streak by holding serve. Unfortunately, such moments were rare.
“It felt great to play so efficiently and finish the match quickly,” said Swiatek. “Also, it was important for me to get a feel for the court and how it plays here at RLA.”
Next up for the second-seeded Swiatek is a clash with 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu, who rallied from an early setback in the second set to defeat Amanda Anisimova, 6-3, 7-5.
In a surprising twist, three-time runner-up and No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev was eliminated by 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien in a thrilling five-set battle that stretched nearly five hours. Tien held a match point during the third-set tiebreak and had to wait two hours for another opportunity until close to 3 a.m. local time.
Defending men’s champion and No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner found himself in a dogfight for over a set and a half before easily dispatching Australian wild card contender Tristan Schoolkate, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.
Taylor Fritz has also been swift in his quest for the third round, dropping merely eight games across two matches and spending just over three hours on the court.
The 2024 U.S. Open runner-up and No. 4 seed defeated Cristian Garin 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, setting up a matchup against 38-year-old Gael Monfils, who recently made history as the oldest player to claim an ATP Tour title.
Also progressing through the men’s draw are local favorite Alex de Minaur, seeded 8th, No. 16 Lorenzo Musetti, No. 19 Karen Khachanov, and No. 21 Ben Shelton, who triumphed over Pablo Carreno Busta with a score of 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4.
Raducanu has faced her share of hurdles, grappling with injuries since her remarkable 2021 Grand Slam victory as the first qualifier to ever win a major singles title.
She sat out warmup tournaments due to a muscle strain and required treatment for back pain during her match against Anisimova, yet her confidence soared after making it past the second round for the first time at Melbourne Park.
“I see this as a fantastic opportunity to test my game,” shared Raducanu. “I have nothing to lose heading into this match, and I’m ready to swing for the fences.”
Swiatek is moving beyond the doping controversy that led to her month-long ban last year, displaying a focused demeanor on the court.
In her second-round performance, she wrapped up points efficiently, converting five of her six break points while facing none against Sramkova. With a combination of powerful winners and precise volleys, she dominated the match.
This year, she feels a bit relieved after relinquishing the No. 1 ranking to two-time defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.
“There was significant pressure starting the year as No. 1, but I learned that I can’t control everything about my ranking. So now, I’m focusing entirely on my game,” she reflected.
Emma Navarro, a U.S. Open semifinalist last year and a top-eight seed for the first time, faced a challenge after two early service breaks in the third set but rallied to defeat Wang Xiyu 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
She celebrated the hard-fought victory with a jump from the baseline to the net, executing an energetic swing of her arm to commemorate her success.
“It was incredibly tough the entire match, especially at the end,” Navarro stated. “I managed to find my rhythm in those crucial last games.”
She will now face Ons Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam finalist who overcame asthma issues to beat Camila Osorio 7-5, 6-3.
Sixth seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and runner-up in Australia two years prior, celebrated her milestone 50th victory in a Grand Slam main draw by defeating American qualifier Iva Jovic 6-0, 6-3.
No. 9 seed Daria Kasatkina also advanced smoothly, defeating Wang Yafan 6-2, 6-0, and is set to meet No. 24 Yulia Putintseva in the third round.
