WTA World Number One Iga Swiatek (Photo | AP)
MELBOURNE: No.1-seed Iga Swiatek eased into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday as she beat Camila Osorio of Colombia 6-2, 6-3. In a match played with the roof closed because of rain, the Polish player was broken when serving for the match at 5-1 but sealed victory two games later.
The reigning French Open and U.S. Open champion will now play either Bianca Andreescu of Canada, the former U.S. Open champion, or Cristina Bucsa of Spain.
“I think it was much tougher than the score says,” Swiatek said. “It was really intense physically. She didn’t give me many points for free.
“It was tough but I am happy that I was consistent in being proactive,” she added. “I’m pretty happy that I won and can play the next round.”
Third-seeded Jessica Pegula was tested by Aliaksandra Sasnovich before coming through 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Pegula served for the match at 5-4 in the second but was broken, before regrouping to win the tiebreaker. She’ll next play Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine or Olivia Gadecki, a wild-card entry from Australia.
No. 6-seeded Maria Sakkari survived a test from the 18-year-old Russian qualifier, Diana Shnaider, before advancing 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The left-handed Shnaider, who is scheduled to attend North Carolina State this fall, saved two match points on her own serve at 5-2 down. But Sakkari held from 0-30 in the next game.
“It was a very high level from both of us, I think she played an amazing match," Sakkari said. "She’s very young, she’s very promising. Maybe she should consider not going to college and go pro.”
In the men’s draw, the No. 15 Jannik Sinner won 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 over Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina to reach the third round.
There will be no play on the outside courts until at least 3,30 p.m. local time because of rain.
