Iga Swiatek was made to work for her authority in Melbourne. The six-time Grand Slam champion surrendered her first set of the tournament before regrouping to beat Anna Kalinskaya 6–1, 1–6, 6–1, passing a genuine examination of rhythm, resolve, and reset at the Australian Open.
The world No.2 had cruised through Yue Yuan and Marie Bouzkova in straight sets, but Kalinskaya forced a rethink. Swiatek’s second set fell apart alarmingly, yielding just 28 percent of points behind her own serve and 43 percent on return as Kalinskaya stepped inside the baseline and dictated. It was a rare spell where Swiatek looked reactive rather than commanding.
The response was emphatic. Swiatek reasserted her patterns in the decider, cleaned up her service targets, and reclaimed control of the first two shots. The final set flew by, restoring order and sending her into the fourth round.
“I Needed to Be More Proactive”
Swiatek pointed squarely to her serve as the key adjustment. “I felt like my serve level dropped in the second set, so in the third I wanted to target the right zones from the beginning and be more proactive,” she said.
Against Kalinskaya, she explained, hesitation is punished. “When she plays fast and puts pressure on you, you need to be proactive in the first two shots. That was the difference.”
Losing a Set Without Losing Belief
More revealing was Swiatek’s take on the lopsided middle set. “It’s not that I was in a bad state,” she said. “Sometimes you feel like you’re not doing anything wrong, but everything goes her way.”
She added that until 4–1 in that set, the margins were thin. “It could have gone either way. Maybe she played the important points better, but the level was good.”
Crowd Energy — Help or Hindrance
Swiatek also spoke candidly about crowd involvement, something that will matter more in her next match. “General cheering and applause is great — you can take energy from it,” she said. “But when people start coaching or shouting instructions, it can break your concentration.”
“Tennis is loud between points and silent during them,” she added. “If you suddenly hear something, it can really trigger you. Some days it helps. Some days it’s annoying.”
Next: Maddison Inglis and a Noisy Night
That balance will be tested next. Swiatek now faces Australian wildcard Maddison Inglis, who advanced via walkover after Naomi Osaka withdrew with an abdominal injury. It will be Swiatek’s first encounter with a home favorite at this year’s tournament.
They have met once before, in Adelaide in 2021, a 6–1, 6–3 Swiatek win. “I remember we played, but not the details,” she admitted. “I’ll need to prepare tactically. She’s on a great run, she didn’t play today, so she’ll be fresh.”
Swiatek survived her first wobble. The next test won’t just be about tennis — it will be about handling the noise that comes with it.
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