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On Tuesday, in-form top seed Iga Swiatek beat former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in straight sets to begin her quest for a first title at Melbourne Park.
But it wasn’t easy for the four-time Grand Slam champion. He ultimately won 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 after an hour and 51 minutes of struggle in debilitating conditions at Rod Laver Arena.
It was a rematch of the 2020 French Open final won by Polish star Swiatek, and the two have not played each other since.
“I’m really happy. It’s not easy to play your first match, especially the first Grand Slam of the season,” said Swiatek, who won three titles at Roland Garros and one at the US Open.
“At first it wasn’t easy to find my rhythm and I felt a little off, but Sofia did everything to keep me going.
“I’m glad I managed to get through the second set.”
The win extends the 22-year-old’s unbeaten streak to 17 matches, the second in her career after 11 consecutive wins in Beijing and Cancun in 2023 to return to world No. 1. It was a long one.
She then won five more matches in the United Cup at the beginning of the new season, which meant she would come to Melbourne.
Swiatek’s momentum continues and she will face either 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber or 2022 Melbourne Park finalist Daniel Collins in the second round.
Swiatek opened the match with his strong serve against 2020 champion Kenin, who dropped to 41st in the rankings. But the American woke up, broke, held, and won 3-1.
Despite having his left thigh tied, Kenin returned smoothly and his backhand was on fire.
But she wobbled in the sixth game, with back-to-back double faults giving Swiatek a 3-3 breakback.
Undaunted, Kenin earned another break with a strong backhand and extended his lead to 5-4, but was once again thwarted by serving for the set.
Going into a tiebreak, the No. 1 seed stepped up to cross the line after a 68-minute marathon.
The second set was similarly close until the fifth game, when Kenin hit a forehand wide to give Swiatek two break points, and Kenin hit a backhand long, which she converted.
It was a fatal blow, and as world number one Kenin sprinted to the finish line, there was nothing left in the tank.
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