MELBOURNE – World number one Iga Swiatek wasted little time today in reaching the third round of the Australian Open, sweeping past Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-3 in a physical clash on Rod Laver Arena.
The title favourite from Poland said after a tough first-round examination that she needed to find some extra “intensity”, and she found the spark against the 21-year-old world number 84.
The 2022 French and US Open champion, also 21, is looking to win the Australian Open for the first time and reached the last 32 after an hour and 24 minutes of gritty resistance from Osorio.
“The match was much tougher than the score says,” said Swiatek, who made her Australian Open debut in 2019.
“It was really intense physically and Camila didn’t give me many points for free, so I needed to really work for every and each of them.
“But I’m happy that I was consistent and I can play the next round,” added Swiatek, a year after recording her best result at Melbourne Park, losing to Danielle Collins in the semi-finals.
The three-time major winner – she also triumphed at Roland Garros in 2020 – will face either 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada or Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the third round.
Swiatek agreed that Andreescu, who has suffered from form and injury setbacks since her lone major triumph and reaching number four in the world, would be a difficult opponent.
“She can play great tennis. She’s really solid,” she said of the current world number 43.
Swiatek beat Andreescu in their only previous tour-level meeting, a 7-6 (7/2), 6-0 victory in last year’s Rome quarter-finals on clay.
“I wouldn’t really look at our matches on clay, because it’s different,” said Swiatek.
“We played in juniors a couple of times. Clay is different, especially in Rome where it’s, like, the slowest surface on tour.
“It’s nice that I know how she’s playing a little bit, and I know how her ball feels on my racquet. But there’s not much tactical stuff I can take from that match.” – AFP, January 18, 2023
