Defending BNP Paribas Open champion Iga Swiatekreturned to a court that has been quite friendly to her over the last few seasons.
That court is Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, where the Polish star has lifted not just one but two Tennis Paradise crowns in the last three years.
The 2022 and 2024 champion was back in action Friday afternoon in Indian Wells as she tunes up to try to become the first three-time women’s champion in BNP Paribas Open history.
Check out these photos from Swiatek’s first practice session in her return to the desert.
Iga Swiatek has enjoyed a solid start to her 2025 campaign, reaching the quarter-finals of all four events she’s participated in.
The world number two began her season with a trip to the United Cup final with Poland, losing out to the United States, 2-0.
She was then just a point away from reaching the Melbourne final before Swiatek lost to Madison Keys in a thriller on Rod Laver Arena.
After her defeat down under, Swiatek traveled to the Middle East for the two WTA 1000 events in Doha, and Dubai.
Losing her fifth straight encounter with the Latvian star, Swiatek fell to defeat against Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-finals of the Qatar Open, where she was the three-time defending champion.
Heading to Dubai, Swiatek lost to Mirra Andreeva in the last eight, as the Russian 17-year-old went on to win the title.
As the Pole now looks ahead to the WTA 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, and Miami, she has taken the time to reflect on her biggest inspiration in tennis.
Iga Swiatek says ‘inspiration’ Rafael Nadal impressed her most with his ‘values’
Speaking on her new website, Swiatek explained how she originally felt about tennis as a youngster and named the ATP star who inspired her the most.
“Tennis was not love at first sight,” she said.
“Competing and pushing my own limits was, I had to mature into a passion for tennis.”
“Without a doubt, my biggest sports inspiration and I probably won’t surprise anyone here has always been Rafael Nadal.
“Mastery in sports is one thing, but what impresses me the most is what values he lives by and what kind of person he is despite his incredible success.
“This is definitely the path I would like to follow.”
Swiatek and Nadal played together in the ‘Tennis Plays for Peace’ event ahead of the 2022 US Open, facing off against Coco Gauff and John McEnroe in a light-hearted exhibition match.
The Pole and Spaniard won 10-8, both hitting ‘tweeners’ during a thrilling point at 3-1, which got fans out of their seats.
Swiatek then explained how her tennis success has affected her over recent years, admitting that it can sometimes feel ‘overwhelming.’
“Tennis has made me a recognizable person in Poland and in many places around the world,” she said.
“People and the media are often interested in me and in what I am doing (which can sometimes be overwhelming), and I want to use this attention to bring about positive change.
“That’s why I speak openly about the importance of mental health, the joy and benefits of physical activity and sports, especially for children and young people.”
Comparing Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal at the French Open
Swiatek has spoken openly about her admiration for Nadal throughout her career to date and has worked hard to replicate the successes he enjoyed on the ATP Tour.
Nadal won a record 14 French Open titles during his time as a professional, a record that many believe will never be touched.
Swiatek’s four Roland Garros crowns see her closer to Nadal’s record than any other active tennis player, as she looks almost as dominant as the Spaniard on the Parisian clay.
Player
Titles
Most consecutive titles
Win/Loss record
Win %
Rafael Nadal
14
5
112-4
97
Iga Swiatek
4
3*
35-2
95
Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek’s record at the French Open
The Pole has won 35 of her 37 matches in Paris, lifting the trophy at each of the past three tournaments.
Swiatek’s 2024 French Open victory was one of her most dominant, dropping just 11 games in her final three matches as she won her fourth Roland Garros title.
When she returns to the French capital later this year, she’ll do so having not lost at the event in over 1,350 days.
Entering as a heavy favorite, the pressure will be firmly on Swiatek’s shoulders, as she will perhaps look to Nadal for inspiration once more when the French Open kicks off on Sunday, May 25.
Coco Gauff Joins Iga Swiatek and Others To Hype WTA’s Brand New Move Which Is Set To Transform Women’s Tennis
The Women’s Tennis Association is on a roll, driven by innovative branding strategies and a talented pool of players. The WTA has enhanced its appeal through partnerships with CVC Capital Partners, aiming to elevate the sport’s commercial profile and accelerate growth since 2023. Charismatic players like Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are also boosting the WTA’s allure. One might recall Gauff’s 2023 US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka drew a record 3.4 million viewers on ESPN, marking a 92% increase from the previous year’s women’s final between Swiatek and Ons Jabeur. The WTA is never short on offering fans compelling storylines and competitive matches throughout the year. And they don’t intend to stop just there!
On February 24, the WTA’s Instagram posted an exciting video featuring top players like Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, Paula Badosa, Qinwen Zheng, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Daria Kasatkina, Ons Jabeur, and Coco Gauff. In the video, these players take turns narrating: “It’s about to get loud. The wait is almost over. A new era begins soon. Are you ready? This is it. You won’t want to miss this.” The cinematic brilliance has fans buzzing about the WTA’s new move. But what is this new move?
According to a post by reporter John Horn on X: “Tennis fans…BIG WTA news coming on February 27th… Total rebranding & new look on broadcasts & website being announced… Debuts on TV at the start of Indian Wells… Big upgrades to all aspects… Very impressed with the sneak peek.. Stay tuned #WTA #DDFTennis.” Well, going by this post, the rebranding will revolutionize the WTA experience for players and fans alike. With just two days left before the big reveal, the excitement is palpable now.
The WTA has achieved several milestones recently. This year’s Australian Open saw a remarkable increase in viewership, with Australia witnessing a 55% rise, followed by the UK at 54% and the US at 48%. American audiences watched the Women’s Singles more than the Men’s Singles by a 4% margin, largely thanks to Madison Keys’ performance, marking a significant moment for women’s tennis. But that’s not the only highlight for WTA.
The WTA celebrates all its highlights over the past year
In 2024, the WTA offered a record-breaking prize money of $221 million —a whopping $42 million increase from 2023. The excitement doesn’t stop there; two major WTA 1000 events, the National Bank Open, and the Cincinnati Open, are expanding to 12-day tournaments, offering a bigger stage for top athletes. Meanwhile, the WTA is also revamping its grass-court schedule in the UK, introducing a new WTA 500 event at Queen’s Club in London, featuring stars like Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, and Emma Raducanu, followed by WTA 250s in Nottingham and Eastbourne. Additionally, the WTA 125s are getting a boost with an expanded calendar and live streaming on WTA Unlocked.
Last season was a huge success, with attendance increasing by 15% and a global audience surpassing 1 billion for the second consecutive year. The WTA’s social media presence is also on fire, with the top 20 players now reaching a combined 58.5 million followers—a 29% increase over the past year. Forbes has noted that 11 of the world’s 20 highest-earning female athletes are WTA players, highlighting the sport’s growing momentum.
Beyond the court, the WTA Foundation is advancing its philanthropic initiatives, focusing on women’s health and empowerment through campaigns like Women Change the Game. This effort aims to improve women’s health and nutrition globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. As the WTA continues to break barriers, Portia Archer, CEO of the WTA, emphasizes their global impact: “We are incredibly proud to have the largest global reach in women’s sport, with events in 26 countries and regions and a worldwide audience of more than one billion.”
She added, “As the original trailblazer in women’s sport, our ambitions go well beyond the court. We will continue to champion our incredible athletes and create real change through our programmes and commitment to advocate for women’s health and empowerment around the world.”
With the WTA’s latest update just around the corner, anticipation is building —it’s an electrifying time for tennis fans!
Three-time defending Qatar Open champion Iga Swiatek (23) suffered a crushing 6-3, 6-1 defeat by Jelena Ostapenko (27) in the semi-finals on Friday, her fifth loss in as many meetings with the mercurial Latvian.
Swiatek entered the semi-finals carrying a 15-match winning streak in Doha, having clinched the title in each of the last three editions.
The five-time Grand Slam champion was looking to become the first player since 2011 – and just second this century – to win the same WTA tournament four years in a row but Ostapenko had other ideas.
Ostapenko, the 2017 Roland Garros champion, became the first player to defeat Swiatek on five occasions.
The world number 37 fired 24 winners against just 15 unforced errors, brushing aside the second-ranked Pole after just 70 minutes of play.
Ostapenko is through to the third WTA 1000 final of her career and is searching for her first title at that level, having lost on her two previous attempts in Doha 2016 and Miami 2018.
She will face Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s championship match after the American defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-3 to reach her second WTA 1000 final.
“I feel like this court has a special energy and it was always helping me. Everything started for me on this court (when I reached the final in 2016),” said Ostapenko.
“Today when I went on the court I was pretty confident that I could beat her because we played a lot of matches and I kind of know how to play against her. I was just focusing on myself and knew what I had to do. I’m really happy with the way I’m handling my emotions this week and I’m so happy to be in the final.”
A blistering start from Ostapenko saw the Latvian unleash a forehand winner to break Swiatek in the opening game of the contest and she surrendered just one point on her way to a 2-0 lead.
Ostapenko got her hands on three set points on the Swiatek serve at 5-3 and converted her third opportunity to scoop the first set in 35 minutes.
The start of the second set followed a similar pattern to the first, with Ostapenko punishing Swiatek’s serve, and attacking any short ball that came her way.
As the match clock hit one hour, Ostapenko was already up a set and 4-0 and cruising. Swiatek halted the momentum by getting one of the breaks back but her comeback attempt was short-lived as she dropped serve again the following game en route to a hefty defeat.
‘Knew what to expect’
Ostapenko limited Swiatek to under 50 percent in points won behind the first or second serve and logged seven return winners against the Pole.
“Obviously I was preparing for the match, and I pretty much knew what to expect from her,” said Ostapenko of her success on return against Swiatek.
“I don’t know, sometimes I know where the ball’s coming, but sometimes I’m just going with my feelings and my instincts, so that helps me.”
Another streak was broken on Friday as Anisimova, 23, ended Alexandrova’s eight-match unbeaten run to advance to the final.
Alexandrova ousted two top-five players in Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula on her way to the Doha semi-finals, and was coming off of a title run in Linz earlier this month.
Anisimova broke twice to open up an early 4-0 gap and it took Alexandrova 22 minutes before she finally got on the board.
The big-hitting American bagged the opening set in 43 minutes and built a 4-1 lead in the second before securing passage to the fifth WTA final of her career.
Anisimova saved nine of the 10 break points she faced during the match to set up an all-unseeded showdown against Ostapenko.
Three-time defending Qatar Open champion Iga Swiatek (23) suffered a crushing 6-3, 6-1 defeat by Jelena Ostapenko (27) in the semi-finals on Friday, her fifth loss in as many meetings with the mercurial Latvian.
Swiatek entered the semi-finals carrying a 15-match winning streak in Doha, having clinched the title in each of the last three editions.
The five-time Grand Slam champion was looking to become the first player since 2011 – and just second this century – to win the same WTA tournament four years in a row but Ostapenko had other ideas.
Ostapenko, the 2017 Roland Garros champion, became the first player to defeat Swiatek on five occasions.
The world number 37 fired 24 winners against just 15 unforced errors, brushing aside the second-ranked Pole after just 70 minutes of play.
Ostapenko is through to the third WTA 1000 final of her career and is searching for her first title at that level, having lost on her two previous attempts in Doha 2016 and Miami 2018.
She will face Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s championship match after the American defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-3 to reach her second WTA 1000 final.
“I feel like this court has a special energy and it was always helping me. Everything started for me on this court (when I reached the final in 2016),” said Ostapenko.
“Today when I went on the court I was pretty confident that I could beat her because we played a lot of matches and I kind of know how to play against her. I was just focusing on myself and knew what I had to do. I’m really happy with the way I’m handling my emotions this week and I’m so happy to be in the final.”
A blistering start from Ostapenko saw the Latvian unleash a forehand winner to break Swiatek in the opening game of the contest and she surrendered just one point on her way to a 2-0 lead.
Ostapenko got her hands on three set points on the Swiatek serve at 5-3 and converted her third opportunity to scoop the first set in 35 minutes.
The start of the second set followed a similar pattern to the first, with Ostapenko punishing Swiatek’s serve, and attacking any short ball that came her way.
As the match clock hit one hour, Ostapenko was already up a set and 4-0 and cruising. Swiatek halted the momentum by getting one of the breaks back but her comeback attempt was short-lived as she dropped serve again the following game en route to a hefty defeat.
‘Knew what to expect’
Ostapenko limited Swiatek to under 50 percent in points won behind the first or second serve and logged seven return winners against the Pole.
“Obviously I was preparing for the match, and I pretty much knew what to expect from her,” said Ostapenko of her success on return against Swiatek.
“I don’t know, sometimes I know where the ball’s coming, but sometimes I’m just going with my feelings and my instincts, so that helps me.”
Another streak was broken on Friday as Anisimova, 23, ended Alexandrova’s eight-match unbeaten run to advance to the final.
Alexandrova ousted two top-five players in Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula on her way to the Doha semi-finals, and was coming off of a title run in Linz earlier this month.
Anisimova broke twice to open up an early 4-0 gap and it took Alexandrova 22 minutes before she finally got on the board.
The big-hitting American bagged the opening set in 43 minutes and built a 4-1 lead in the second before securing passage to the fifth WTA final of her career.
Anisimova saved nine of the 10 break points she faced during the match to set up an all-unseeded showdown against Ostapenko.
Iga Swiatek shared some huge praise for Rafael Nadal as she explains how their playing styles are similar.
The 23-year-old grew up idolizing the Spaniard and has named him as her biggest inspiration within the sport and her favourite player.
It is clear to see how the 22-time Grand Slam champion has influenced her game given Iga Swiatek’s levels of intensity and heavy groundstrokes.
But the World number two has now provided some insight into how she believes her game mirrors that of the 14-time French Open champion.
How did Iga Swiatek compare her game to Rafael Nadal’s?
Rafael Nadal developed a reputation for using high amounts of topspin with acute angels to drag his opponents out of position and wear them down.
Swiatek also implements topspin into her game and in addition to using her excellent footwork to move up the court quickly and take control of the rallies, hallmarks of Nadal’s game.
Swiatek has been compared to Nadal in terms of their dominance at Roland Garros, where they hold a combined 18 titles.
But during an interview with The Athletic, The Pole explained how they are similar from the perspective on how they played the game.
“It’s just physics. On clay, it’s going to be a bit easier because my topspin will jump higher and my movements will be maybe better than what other girls can bring with the sliding and changing direction,” Swiatek said.
“But on hard courts, I feel like I’m a good player as well. It was the same with Rafa.”
Iga Swiatek makes a bold Rafael Nadal claim
Early in his career Nadal’s detractors did not believe he could achieve plenty of success away from clay courts.
But the 38-year-old proved his doubters wrong by succeeding on every surface, winning multiple titles on grass and hard courts, inducing the Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the US Open.
After showing he could adapt to all surfaces throughout his career, Swiatek called Nadal the greatest of all time on all surfaces.
“Everybody always talked about clay, but like he’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) basically on every surface,” she added. “Also winning Wimbledon twice. Not every player can have these results on even one surface.
“This is something that people are focusing on, and I am talking about this as well, because clay is where I have the most fun, but I love hard courts as well.
“And I feel like I have my weapons and I can use them. I want to be an all surface player for sure.”
“I know how tennis works,” Iga Swiatek said earlier this week. “It doesn’t always depend on you if you win titles or not.”
“You just have to put hundred percent effort and commitment and you’ll get your chances.”
The second seed proved herself right in her 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-4 win over Linda Noskova on Wednesday. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that Swiatek and Noskova combined to prove her right.
Noskova, a 20-year-old Czech ranked 33rd, may be best known for how well she matches up with Swiatek. She beat her at the Australian Open last January, and lost two close three-setters to her later in the year. Noskova has an excellent serve, which partially negates one of Swiatek’s primary weapons, her return. And she’s one of the few players who can stand toe-to-toe with Iga from the baseline and beat her with pace.
All of that was in evidence again on Wednesday. Noskova fired 16 aces. She held her own in rallies, exasperated Swiatek with her surprise ground stroke bombs from behind the baseline, and forced Iga to speed up her long forehand swing and make errors. Noskova rolled through the first set tiebreaker 7-1, held serve to start the second set, and went up 0-30 on Swiatek’s serve in the next game.
But just when Swiatek’s ship appeared to be sinking, she plugged the holes in her game. She came back to hold for 1-1, and eventually prevailed in a see-saw second set that was filled with break points and mini-shifts in momentum.
That back and forth quality continued all the way through the third set as well. The match was reminiscent of Ekaterina Alexandrova’s win over top seed Aryna Sabalenka the previous day. Each time the higher-ranked player—Swiatek, Sabalenka—seemed to have asserted her authority and taken the lead for good, the lower-ranked player—Noskova, Alexandrova—proved again that she could match her weapons. Stroke for stroke, there wasn’t a whole lot that separated No. 1 and 2 from No. 25 and 33.
Until the end, that is. On Tuesday, Alexandrova never tightened up or faltered when the finish line appeared on the her mental horizon. On Wednesday, Noskova did. With Swiatek serving at 3-4 in the third set, Noskova went up 0-30. A Swiatek defeat seemed highly plausible, considering that Sabalenka and No. 3 seed Coco Gauff had already been sent packing this week.
Swiatek is the only Top 4 seed left in Doha after early exits from Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jasmine Paolini.
Except that, in this case, Noskova couldn’t make it happen. She could barely get a ball in play.
Noskova missed two returns to make it 30-30, and another return to give Swiatek the game. At 4-4, Noskova missed three forehands and was broken. On Iga’s second match point, she belted a forehand into the net.
For most of three sets, Noskova showed how little difference there is between a top player and a second-tier player. Then she spent the last three games showing what that difference is. She was the one who couldn’t modulate her strokes and play with a little more margin when she was nervous. Swiatek could.
“Every match with Linda is always super-tough,” said Swiatek, who won her 14th straight match in Doha dating back to 2021. “Wasn’t easy with her serve, which was kind of perfect.”
Yesterday I wondered whether Sabalenka’s loss might signal a shift at the top of the WTA in Swiatek’s direction. Since 2022, Iga has used Doha as a launching point for a run of dominance that lasts through Roland Garros.
Today she almost failed to launch. But by now, as she said, Swiatek knows how tennis works. Winning doesn’t always depend on what you do; it can also mean hanging around and giving it your best until your opponent loses.
Ons Jabeur has named both Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff as her most ‘intimidating’ rivals on the WTA Tour.
Former world No 2 Jabeur has been a regular opponent for current world No 2 Swiatek and world No 3 Gauff during their careers, with a combined 15 meetings against the two.
The Tunisian trails 2-5 in her head-to-head against Swiatek – including a loss in the 2022 US Open final – while she is 2-6 down in her head-to-head versus US star Gauff.
Jabeur was a guest on Nothing Major and, asked by Sam Querrey who her most ‘intimidating’ rival was, spoke about the challenge of facing both major champions.
She said: “There are a lot. I think Iga is a pretty solid player. She does not give you any free points, which is kind of difficult to play against.”
“Coco is really amazing too, she plays unbelievable tennis. There are a lot of solid players where you have to be, if not 100%, very close to it to play on that day.”
Jabeur also spoke about the challenge of facing Aryna Sabalenka, the current WTA world No 1.
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The Tunisian trailblazer holds a 2-4 head-to-head against the Belarusian, a three-time Grand Slam champion and a recent runner-up at the Australian Open.
However, despite trailing in their rivalry, the 30-year-old triumphed in the biggest meeting of their career – rallying from a set and a break down to win their 2023 Wimbledon semi-final.
Despite that match, the three-time major finalist revealed that she “used to hate” facing the Belarusian and admitted that she found herself struggling with the pace of Sabalenka’s groundstrokes.
“I used to hate playing against Aryna, because the way she hits the ball, I basically could not see it, and I get frustrated by the speed of the ball,” added Jabeur.
“But people would tell you: ‘Oh, you have the touch.’ I think speed definitely beats the touch because, if I cannot find it, I cannot do it, so one of the players I didn’t like to play is Aryna.”
After a difficult 2024 season that saw the former world No 2 struggle with form and fitness and fall outside of the top 30, Jabeur is looking to work her way back up the rankings in 2025.
The world No 34 will be in action at the Abu Dhabi Open this week and faces a tough opening match against seventh seed Jelena Ostapenko.
Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Gauff are all set to return to action at next week’s Qatar Open in Doha – the first WTA 1000 event of the 2025 season.
It will be the first event for all three women since their Australian Open campaigns; Swiatek and Sabalenka were beaten in the semi-final and final respectively by Madison Keys, while Gauff fell in the last eight to Paula Badosa.
The good news for Iga Swiatek is that, after two straight early exits in Melbourne, she returned to the Australian Open semis for the first time since 2022. This year, in her first five matches, Swiatek was exceptionally dominant, dropping just 14 games in ten sets. As Emma Navarro said after losing 6-1, 6-2 to Swiatek in an 89-minute quarterfinal, “I think something she does really well is she’s really quick, and she does everything with 100 percent conviction and intensity.”
Said Swiatek that day, “These tournaments are long. Even if you start amazing, like, something can happen during the two weeks. I wouldn’t say something feels super different. Probably, yeah, I feel like I’m relaxed and just focused on the right things.” Amid last year’s frustrating losses at Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as her recent drug suspension, it was refreshing to see Swiatek playing with renewed focus and precision.
Swiatek got within a point of reaching her first Australian Open final after an excellent week in Melbourne.
But then came the bad news. One point away from reaching her first Australian Open final, Swiatek was overcome by an inspired Keys in one of the best matches of the tournament, losing 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (8) in two hours and 38 minutes. “I felt like I had my chance,” said Swiatek. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. Maybe I’ll have more chances. I think I’m pretty spoiled in a way that I could always use these chances. When I had an opportunity to win, I always kind of win. Obviously it’s disappointing when it doesn’t happen, but this is sport, so it’s not always going to go my way.”
Both on and off the court, Swiatek’s 2024 was often mysterious, vague, ambiguous (such as the chronology of events surrounding the suspension). The thinking here is that she’s in excellent shape to step confidently forward as ’25 continues.
Iga Swiatek remains on a collision course to meet Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open, reaching the last eight with a dominant display over lucky loser Eva Lys.
The Polish performer is desperate to get back her spot as the number-one ranked player in the world. If she wins the tournament in Melbourne that will become a reality.
Swiatek demolished Emma Raducanu in round three. The Great Britain star had no answer to Swiatek’s brilliance and she was similarly emphatic against German performer Lys on Monday.
It proved a tough end to the year 2024 for Swiatek. With that in mind, she’s going to focus on the tennis this year and a final against Sabalenka would potentially be a superb match.
Iga Swiatek picks best attribute of Aryna Sabalenka
It might be premature but Swiatek has already been quizzed on the brilliance of Sabalenka with the two players comfortably the most in-form stars on the WTA Tour at the moment.
It does appear as though there is mutual respect between the two players. Swiatek will face a couple of tough matches if she’s to reach the final but as a multiple Grand Slam winner, she’s got what it takes.
During her press conference, Swiatek had praise for Sabalenka and even picked out what she thinks is her best attribute.
Swiatek said: “Well, honestly I think we’re the most consistent players on tour, and this is also what the rivalry is about.
“But when we face each other, you know, sometimes, as it was in Cincinnati, it goes to Aryna. Sometimes, like in Rome, it goes to me. It’s not always that we have tight matches, but we do, like Madrid final, like US Open semis.
“So I guess, you know, we’re just both good and feel like we are covering every aspect of the game in terms of the preparation. We’re just really professional and also pushing each other to work harder.
“So yeah, I mean, how does it feel? Like, you have to just be there, like, on point and 100% ready, because playing top player is always hard, so yeah.
“I don’t know. I feel like she has a complete kind of technique, like pretty smooth.
“She’s just solid from every position on the court, even like volleys and stuff that we don’t use, like, that often on singles.
“Yeah, I mean, she has variety, and she can play flat, she can play topspin. Like, basically I would say that Aryna is kind of a complete player.”
Swiatek looks like the player to beat for Australian Open title
Despite boasting five Grand Slam titles, Swiatek has never claimed glory at the Australian Open with her best run being a semi-final in 2022.
Having won the US Open that year, it’s clear that playing on hard courts isn’t a problem for Swiatek and she will be desperate to reach the final this year.
If she does reach the final, she won’t care who she plays but as a lover of tennis the best possible match-up is likely to feature Swiatek and Sabalenka.
Given how much stamina she’s saving with these easy victories, it’s hard to look past Swiatek for the title at the moment and she should be fresh for the latter stages.
Emma Navarro is up next for Swiatek and the number eight seed will naturally provide a stern test for the Polish performer.
With the world number two losing just 11 games in four matches, however, it seems clear who will be the favourite going into that one.
