Australian Open: Sensational Swiatek comes back from the brink against Collins

Pole Iga Swiatek, the top seed, edged out American Danielle Collins 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to move into the third round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Trailing 4-1 and a double break, world No 1 Swiatek looked down and out on Rod Laver Arena. The Pole saved her best for last, however, winning five straight games to power her way into the third round in sensational fashion.

“Oh my gosh, I don’t even know,” responded Swiatek when asked what she was thinking partway through the final set. “Honestly, I was in the airport already.”

Collins nearly executes the perfect game plan

After an even opening two sets which saw the match level after the best part of two hours, Collins changed up her game plan. The American began playing ultra fast, both with the pace of her shots and speed between points.

“I felt like I had the momentum, then suddenly she started playing two times faster,” Swiatek said after the match. “I didn’t know how to react to that for a few minutes.”

In that time, Collins raced out to a 4-1 lead in the third set, breaking the top seed’s serve twice and taking her to the brink of victory. Swiatek snapped out of it in the nick of time, however, and Collins began to play more timidly.

“I knew that she played perfectly, but it would be hard for anyone to keep up that level,” explained Swiatek. “I wanted to be ready for when the mistakes came.”

“Her game and her career speaks for itself,” Collins prasied. “I think we all know what to expect against Iga. I had to try to counter that as much as I could, I did that well at many moments. You know, other moments it got away from me.”

The world No 1 certainly took her opportunity, pouncing when Collins dropped her forehand speed and reeling off five consecutive games to close out the match.

Swiatek, ranked No 1, will face Linda Noskova next.

The 22-year-old previously defeated American Sofia Kenin (7-6 (2), 6-2). In the previous round, Collins — ranked No 62 — scraped past German Angelique Kerber (6-2, 3-6, 6-1).

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other second-round results (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 58.910.000, most recent results first):

• Clara Tauson vs. Victoria Azarenka
• Elena Rybakina vs. Anna Blinkova
• Jelena Ostapenko vs. Ajla Tomljanovic
• Varvara Gracheva vs. Dayana Yastremska
• Emma Navarro vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto
• Katerina Siniakova vs. Viktorija Golubic
• Elina Svitolina vs. Viktoriya Tomova
• Emma Raducanu vs. Yafan Wang
• Sloane Stephens vs. Daria Kasatkina
• Tatjana Maria vs. Jasmine Paolini
• Clara Burel vs. Jessica Pegula
• Qinwen Zheng vs. Katie Boulter
• Oceane Dodin vs. Martina Trevisan: thursday
• Anna Kalinskaya beat Arantxa Rus: 6-1, 7-5
• Linda Noskova beat Mccartney Kessler (WC): 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
• Elina Avanesyan beat Maria Sakkari (8): 6-4, 6-4
• Marta Kostyuk beat Elise Mertens (25): 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (6)
• Lesia Tsurenko (28) beat Rebeka Masarova: 6-3, 6-4
• Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Brenda Fruhvirtova (Q): 6-3, 6-2
• Paula Badosa beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: 6-2, 6-3
• Magdalena Frech beat Caroline Garcia (16): 6-4, 7-6 (2)
• Anastasia Zakharova (Q) beat Kaja Juvan: 6-1, 6-1
• Beatriz Haddad Maia (10) beat Alina Korneeva (Q): 6-1, 6-2
• Amanda Anisimova beat Nadia Podoroska: 6-2, 6-3
• Diane Parry beat Kamilla Rakhimova: 7-5, 6-2
• Coco Gauff (4) beat Caroline Dolehide: 7-6 (2), 6-2
• Barbora Krejcikova (9) beat Tamara Korpatsch: 6-2, 6-2
• Alycia Parks beat Leylah Fernandez (32): 7-5, 6-4
• Storm Hunter (Q) beat Laura Siegemund: 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
• Mirra Andreeva beat Ons Jabeur (6): 6-0, 6-2
• Maria Timofeeva (Q) beat Caroline Wozniacki (WC): 1-6, 6-4, 6-1

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