Iga Swiatek has endorsed the Australian Open’s revolutionary new courtside coaching pod, even without needing it during her third-round romp through to the last 16 at Melbourne Park.
The world No.2 maintained her perfect record against Emma Raducanu with a straight-sets demolition of Britain’s 2021 US Open champion.
Five-time major winner Swiatek is yet to drop a set this campaign, advancing with a thumping 6-1 6-0 win on Rod Laver Arena.
So it was no surprise to learn the Pole didn’t need any courtside pep talks on Saturday.
But Swiatek still gave the innovation the nod of approval.
“I am not getting so much coaching now but for sure the next matches there will be moments when I need them,” Swiatek said.
“And it’s nice to have someone to remind you of anything – usually there is not much point in overthinking it.
“It’s great that the Australian Open thought of this idea. Also it’s interesting for TV to have the coaches so close.”
In the build-up to her clash with Raducanu, Swiatek said rankings would count for nothing against an opponent sitting 59 spots below her.
But the Pole, who has the chance to regain world’s top ranking if she wins the title, looked a class above in the 70-minute clinic.
Swiatek hit 24 winners to the Brit’s nine and dropped just four points on serve, while also converting five of her dozen break points.
The second seed was handed a time violation for delaying the start of the match but pleaded innocence, arguing she was waiting for towels to be delivered.
It was the only minor hurdle for the 23-year-old, who held serve to love in the opening game and rattled off another 11 consecutive games to seal the match in convincing fashion.
Swiatek, whose only loss so far this year was a United Cup defeat to the as-yet unbeaten Coco Gauff, will be a hot favourite in the fourth round against Germany’s Eva Lys.
-Ranked 128 in the world, Lys is the first qualifying ‘lucky loser’ to reach the women’s singles fourth round since the Open moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.
The 23-year-old, who lost to local Destanee Aiava in qualifying, served brilliantly in the final set to close out a 4-6 6-3 6-3 win over Romania’s 82nd-ranked Jaqueline Christian.
Ninth seed Daria Kasatkina also advanced, beating Yulia Putintseva 7-5 6-1, and will meet eighth seed Emma Navarro in a huge fourth-round clash.
Navarro got there the hard way, resisting a fightback from Tunisian former world No.2 Ons Jabeur to advance 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Sixth-seeded 2023 Open runner-up Elena Rybakina overcame a lower back complaint that led to a medical timeout early in a painful and hard-earned 6-3 6-4 win over 2024 semi-finalist Dayana Yastremska.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion needed seven match points and is in doubt to continue in the tournament, requiring some medical “magic” to be ready for the next round.
“It was not easy,” Rybakina said.
“I knew that it would be very difficult for me to stay long in the rallies and I was trying just to play aggressive, sometimes risk a little bit more, so really happy that it went my way in the end.
“I will hopefully see my physio and he does some magic.”
Rybakina will next take on the winner of Saturday night’s all-American battle between 10th seed Danielle Collins and newly-crowned Adelaide International champ Madison Keys.
Collins, runner-up to Ash Barty in 2022, looms as one to watch after making headlines when she wound up the Melbourne crowd following a hard-fought win over Aiava in the second round.
Brazil’s 15th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia booked a spot in the fourth round for the first time with a 6-4 6-2 win over Veronika Kudermetova.
Haddad Maia will take on the winner of Saturday night’s showdown between fourth seed Jasmine Paolini and 28th seed Elina Svitolina.
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