Iga Swiatek storms into Australian Open fourth spherical | Tennis Information – Occasions of India

MELBOURNE: High seed Iga Swiatek continued to carve her means by means of the Australian Open draw on Friday, dismantling Cristina Bucsa 6-0 6-1 in brilliant sunshine on the Margaret Court docket Area to achieve the fourth spherical at a canter.
The 21-year-old world primary, who’s wanting so as to add a primary Melbourne Park crown to the French and U.S. Open titles she gained final yr, was all enterprise as she whipped by means of the primary set in 23 minutes.
World quantity 100 Bucsa had merely no reply to Swiatek’s all-court sport and the Spaniard solely managed to keep away from the dreaded ‘double bagel’ 6-0 6-0 scoreline by holding her final service sport.
“My main goal was to keep my focus till the end because sometimes it’s hard when you feel like you control everything, your mind can wander off,” Swiatek mentioned.
“I’m pretty happy that I was solid till the end. I didn’t really let Cristina play her game. I know she can be solid, so I’m pretty happy that I was just disciplined.”
Swiatek has made at the least the fourth spherical at Melbourne Park for the final 4 years and mentioned she felt she was proper the place she ought to be heading into the second week of the yr’s first Grand Slam.
“I feel I’m more and more confident since day one here. I’m not even talking about matches, but also practices,” she added.
“I feel like I’ve done so much work to feel more confident, more relaxed on court. I’m pretty happy that I did it because it’s just a little bit easier. When you actually played those matches, you can feel the rhythm a little bit more.”
If the seedings had held, Swiatek would now be getting ready for a gathering with Danielle Collins, the American who thrashed her within the semi-final at Melbourne Park final yr.
Collins was upset on Friday by Elena Rybakina, nevertheless, so Swiatek may have a last-16 assembly with final yr’s Wimbledon winner in a battle of reigning Grand Slam champions.
Swiatek mentioned she wouldn’t be desirous about that match-up on Friday and would anticipate her coach to organize her tactically to play the big-serving Kazakh.
Rybakina mentioned she had not regarded on the draw and appeared genuinely stunned that she could be assembly the world primary after taking part in what she mentioned was her greatest match of the yr to this point in opposition to Collins.
“No matter, the goal is to beat the top players,” the world quantity 25 mentioned.
“I think that it’s going to be a tough match. Hopefully it’s going to go my way.”