A tough third-round fixture awaits the Australian Open as Emma Raducanu books her place against world number two, Iga Swiatek. The determined British player defeated American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round in Melbourne for the first time. Rolling through some pain and dramatic moments on serve, the 22-year-old prevailed at the end.
Currently 61st in the world, Raducanu is on the cusp of breaking back into the WTA top 50. However, her next assignment is going to be yet another tough one. Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, beat Rebecca Sramkova with a straight-set victory 6-0, 6-2. This will be their fourth clash, and it is worth reiterating that the Pole had never lost to the British opponent, winning three times against her.
After a tremendous start from Amanda Anisimova, a former Roland Garros semifinalist, Emma Raducanu stared down a serious challenge. The match was all about battle and fight, the fight that the British tennis star showed returning from breaks down in both sets. Her serve, which has been a problem area, went south early on, and Anisimova surged ahead. However, pressure seemed to sit well with the 2021 US Open champion, and she reciprocated with counterpunching tennis.
Anisimova served poorly in the first set, unable to save any breakpoints, which enabled the British player to win the set comfortably. Raducanu made a comeback even after losing 0-3 in the second set and getting a medical timeout for a back problem. The unforced errors by Anisimova opened space, and the resulting errors put the finishing at the service of Raducanu, who clinched the match in straight sets.
While that happened, Iga Swiatek had a warm-up match and faced Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova. The Polish star delivered her skills, accuracy, and hard-hitting shots from the onset of the play. The five-time Grand Slam champion twice blasted her right-handed opponent in the first set and won it in 27 minutes on hard court after breaking her serve in the initial game.
Sramkova, exposed for the first time in the second round of a Grand Slam, could not contain Swiatek’s attacks. While she salvaged something in that regard by winning one game, Swiatek kept her calm and closed out the match in under an hour. The Polish player is gaining confidence, having reached the semis of the Australian Open in 2022, and has a chance to regain the World No.1 ranking at the end of this fortnight.
Emma Raducanu has not been immune to injuries; their severity will determine her fitness level in this match. However, her fight and readiness to step up her performance on big nights could make this an interesting match-up. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek will aim to chase the young and rather vulnerable-looking Raducanu behind the baseline and exploit her comparatively shaky delivery from the back of the court.
Ahead of this year’s match, both players will likely go with everything to play, making the third-round fixture between Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek very exciting. The Polish tennis star enters the match as the favorite. However, Raducanu has already proven that she is capable of springing surprises. Enjoyed this article? Please share it with your Tennis-loving friends, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Stay tuned for more thrilling updates and insights!
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