The 23-year-old player from Raszyn, for whom it was her first match in this edition of the tournament in Melbourne in the evening session, was the clear favorite of Monday's match. In the previous three matches – against Katerina Siniakova, Rebecca Sramkova and Emma Raducanu – she lost only ten games, seven of them in the first match.
The world number two is fighting to regain the lead she lost in October and win her sixth Grand Slam singles title, while her seven-month-younger rival, 128th in the tennis players' classification, was a complete debutant at this level of competition. She entered the main part of the tournament as the so-called lucky loser, and then unexpectedly went through three rounds (after defeating Kimberly Birrell, Warwara Graczewa and Jaqueline Cristian).
Absolute domination
The Pole did not allow any more, although it started unexpectedly, because in the first game the German, who was on a roll, scored two break points. That's when Świątek's great maturity and ability to react in a difficult moment showed. She averted the danger quickly, and then everything went smoothly.
Iga Świątek broke Eva Lys 2-0 in the 1st set of the fourth round of the Australian Open
Video source: Eurosport
She returned perfectly, moved great and was more precise. Effect? First came the first break, and then the second one (4:0).
Iga Świątek merciless in the 1st set with Eva Lys. The German was broken for the second time to 4-0
Video source: Eurosport
Lys, unlike the Pole, did not harm her with her serve. The further into the forest, the more often she tried to approach the net. Świątek, however, had a recipe for everything. After 17 minutes (!) she was already leading 5:0.
The German had to wait for her opponent's individual mistakes, and she wasn't able to offer much herself. It got to the point that when she managed to win a longer rally, the audience at Rod Laver Arena rewarded her with a lot of applause. She fought for a game until the end, but Świątek used the second set ball. After 24 minutes.
6:0 in 24 minutes! Iga Świątek outclassed Eva Lys in the 1st set
Video source: Eurosport
SHOW OF STRENGTH
In the second part, the picture of the game did not change. Świątek continued to play her game. Her great measured serve made the difference from the start. In a moment, the first break in the second set came – the Pole was having fun with the game.
-Iga Świątek broke Eva Lys 2-0 in the second set in the 4th round of the Australian Open
Video source: Eurosport
The German was able to make interesting moves from time to time and in the third game she equalized the score. However, in key moments she was helpless in the face of the Pole's great play. The series of losing games ended in the next game (3-1), to the delight of fans in Australia. She felt visibly relieved.
Eva Lys won the first game in the match against Iga Świątek. An ovation at Rod Laver Arena
Video source: Eurosport
It had an impact on her game, because in the sixth, most fierce game, the scoreboard was equal six times. The Pole did her job anyway in the end, and in the next one she dotted the i's. She advanced in an hour. It was a show of power.
6:0, 6:1! Total demolition. Iga Świątek quickly advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open
Video source: Eurosport
The quarter-final clash will most likely be played between Tuesday and Wednesday, Polish time, or possibly on Wednesday morning.
Świątek's best tournament in Australia was in 2022, when she reached the semi-finals. Last year, she finished the competition in the third round.
Match result
Quarterfinal pairs:
Iga Świątek (Poland, 2) – Emma Navarro (USA, 8)
Madison Keys (USA, 19) – Elina Switolina (Ukraine, 28)
Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus, 1) – Anastazja Pavliuchenkova (Russia, 27)
Coco Gauff (USA, 3) – Paula Badosa (Spain, 11)
Semi-final pairs:
Świątek/Navarro – Keys/Switolina
Sabalenka/Pawliuczenkowa – Gauff/Badosa
