Australian Open 2026: Iga Swiatek survives exit scare to punch second-round ticket
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Australian Open 2026: Iga Swiatek survives exit scare to punch second-round ticket")
Australian Open 2026 Swiatek survives exit scare to punch a second-round ticket Photograph: (X)
During her Slam opener in Melbourne, Swiatek was pushed to the limits at the legendary Rod Laver Arena before prevailing 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 more than two hours later.
World number two Iga Swiatek survived an exit scare on day two of the 2026 Australian Open after beating Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue to launch her bid for a career Grand Slam. During her Slam opener in Melbourne, Swiatek was pushed to the limits at the legendary Rod Laver Arena before prevailing 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 more than two hours later. The Polish superstar will next face the Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova. Although this win was a welcome boost for Swiatek, who lost her last two singles matches at the lead-up United Cup, recording 35 unforced errors comes as a worrying sign against a player who had only made it past the first round once in 13 previous Grand Slam appearances.
"I was a bit rusty at the beginning, I didn't really start well, and she used the opportunity," she 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."
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Swiatek has won four French Opens, the US Open and Wimbledon, but a title at Melbourne Park has proved elusive. The 24-year-old has made the semi-finals twice but has never gone further. Should she finally win the title and complete the career Grand Slam, she would be only the seventh woman in the Open era to do so and the third youngest after Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.
‘Unfazed Yuan pushed Swiatek to limits’
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Yuan, ranked 130, was unfazed by facing a player of her stature and came out with all guns blazing. She broke a shaky Swiatek's first service game and consolidated with a hold.
Swiatek had to fend off a break point on her next serve before she settled and got on the board. With her radar seemingly starting to function, she broke to level the set at 3-3, but Yuan again pounced to break back.
Swiatek finally came good when Yuan served for the set, with her powerful groundstrokes too much for the Chinese player.
It headed for a tiebreak where Swiatek again had to fight hard before getting over the line, with 21 unforced errors in the set.
She raced 3-0 clear in the second set, and when Yuan had a medical timeout for a lower back issue, it appeared to be all over. But the plucky 27-year-old won the next two games to stay alive before running out of steam.
(With inputs from AFP)
