Iga Swiatek, the world number two, made it to the second round of the Australian Open on Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Katerina Siniakova. The match took place on John Cain Arena.
Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, struggled to find her usual rhythm against Siniakova, a doubles specialist. Despite the Czech player’s strong resistance, Swiatek managed to secure the win.
“It wasn’t an easy first round, so I’m happy I got through,” Swiatek, 23, said after the match. “I felt like she was playing really well, and I knew I needed to be more proactive, which I was in the end.”
The Polish player’s win was met with cheers from her loyal fans in Melbourne. Swiatek, who served a one-month doping ban around the WTA Finals last November, took a moment to thank the crowd on court. She also shared that she had listened to hard rock music before her match to get in the right mindset.
Swiatek has a chance to reclaim the world number one ranking, depending on the performances of Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. However, her main focus is likely on securing her first Australian Open title, adding to her four French Open and single U.S. Open victories.
Swiatek’s best result at the Australian Open came in 2022 when she reached the semi-finals, losing to American Danielle Collins. In the second round, Swiatek will face Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova.
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