Swiatek hardly sweats in advancing to third round
MELBOURNE—Second-seed Iga Swiatek waltzed into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday, with fellow Grand Slam champions Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina also churning out victories on a bright and sunny day at Melbourne Park.
A day after intermittent rain dampened the spirits, five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek shot out of the blocks on Rod Laver Arena to crush Rebecca Sramkova, 6-0, 6-2, and set up a clash with Raducanu.
“I felt pretty confident, and I started the match well so I just kept going,” said Swiatek. “It was good to play in such an efficient way and just finish it quick.”
Rybakina, the former Wimbledon champ, overcame a second-set wobble to score a 6-0, 6-3 win over 17-year-old American wild-card Iva Jovic, the second teenager she has sent packing.
Raducanu, who has struggled with a string of injuries since her 2021 US Open triumph, required an off-court medical timeout for an apparent left hip issue at 0-3 in the second set against Amanda Anisimova, before seeing off the American, 6-3, 7-5.
“I’m very happy,” said Raducanu. “I thought I played really well in some big moments in that match.”
On the men’s side, fourth seed Taylor Fritz romped past qualifier Cristian Garin, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, and Ben Shelton took out Pablo Carreno Busta, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4, making for three Americans in the third round with more possibly to come.
Fritz has lost only eight games in his two matches so far and will next face Gael Monfils.
