Swiatek battles past Yuan to start Australian Open bid
Iga Swiatek survived an early scare on Monday before overcoming Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue to launch her bid for a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, advancing in unconvincing fashion.
The Polish second seed was pushed hard in the opening set on Rod Laver Arena before sealing a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory in a match lasting more than two hours, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The win sets up a second-round clash with Czech player Marie Bouzkova.
The result provided a timely confidence boost for Swiatek, who had lost her final two singles matches at the United Cup to Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic. However, her tally of 35 unforced errors will raise concerns, particularly given that Yuan had previously progressed beyond the first round just once in 13 Grand Slam appearances.
“I was a bit rusty at the beginning. I didn’t really start well and she used the opportunity,” Swiatek said. “But I knew if I could put the hard work in, I would play better. So that’s what I tried to do from the middle of the first set. I’m happy that it worked. For sure, many ups and downs, I have some stuff to work on, so I’ll just focus on that.”
Swiatek has already captured four French Open titles, along with the US Open and Wimbledon, but success at Melbourne Park has so far eluded her. The 24-year-old has reached the semi-finals twice at the Australian Open but has never gone further.
A title in Melbourne would complete a career Grand Slam, making Swiatek only the seventh woman in the Open era to achieve the feat and the third youngest, behind Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.
World No. 130 Yuan showed no signs of intimidation, breaking Swiatek’s opening service game and holding to take early control. Swiatek had to save a break point in her next service game before settling and eventually leveling the set at 3-3, only to be broken again.
The Pole finally regained momentum when Yuan served for the set, forcing a tiebreak in which Swiatek fought through 21 unforced errors to edge ahead.
Swiatek raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set, and when Yuan took a medical timeout for a lower back issue, the match appeared close to finished. The resilient 27-year-old briefly threatened a comeback by winning two games, but Swiatek ultimately pulled away as Yuan ran out of steam.
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