Australian Open: Iga Swiatek in Total Control During 6-1, 6-0 Rout of Emma Raducanu
Swiatek’s Dominant Performance
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Iga Swiatek dominated Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-0 in the only Australian Open women’s third-round match between two past Grand Slam champions. The five-time major champion and former long-time No. 1-ranked woman — now No. 2, behind Aryna Sabalenka — played at a level she called “perfect.”
Swiatek’s Strategy
Swiatek explained her strategy, saying, “I felt like the ball is listening to me.” She put her two index fingers a few inches apart and said, “It’s just being able to aim for this kind of space.” Then she spread her palms more than a foot apart to show that’s the margin for error on other days. The difference, she said, comes down to “being more precise and actually knowing where the ball is going to go, seeing the effects that you want it to.”
Raducanu’s Performance
Raducanu, who won the 2021 U.S. Open as a teenage qualifier, struggled against Swiatek, making 22 unforced errors and claiming 29 points to 59. Swiatek mounted a 24-9 edge in winners and claimed 59 points to 29, causing one spectator to yell out, “No mercy!” in the second set.
Other Results
Later Saturday, No. 4 Taylor Fritz, the runner-up at last year’s U.S. Open, became the highest-seeded man to leave the bracket, defeated by 38-year-old Gael Monfils 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-4. Monfils joined Roger Federer as the only men 38 or older to get to the fourth round in Melbourne since the field expanded to 128 players in 1988.
Young Players Make Debut in Fourth Round
A pair of young Californians, Learner Tien, 19, and Alex Michelsen, 20, earned debuts in the fourth round at a major. Ben Shelton, who is 22, won, too. No. 1 Jannik Sinner, however, eliminated American Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Conclusion
Swiatek’s dominant performance was a testament to her skill and strategy. She will face 128th-ranked Eva Lys of Germany, who lost in qualifying but was given a spot in the main draw when someone withdrew about 10 minutes before her first-round match. The Australian Open continues with the fourth round matches on Monday.
FAQs
Q: How did Iga Swiatek perform against Emma Raducanu?
A: Swiatek dominated Raducanu 6-1, 6-0 in the Australian Open women’s third-round match.
Q: What was Swiatek’s strategy against Raducanu?
A: Swiatek aimed for a specific space, being more precise and knowing where the ball was going to go.
Q: Who else made it to the fourth round in the Australian Open?
A: Learner Tien, Alex Michelsen, Ben Shelton, and others made it to the fourth round.
