Iga Swiatek expressed respect and appreciation for Emma Raducanu ahead of their upcoming Australian Open clash, acknowledging that the current world No. 62 “can play great tennis” and making it clear she doesn’t expect an easy match.
In the second round at Melbourne Park, Swiatek, the No. 2 seed, showcased her dominance by swiftly defeating world No. 49 Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2 in just an hour. Now, she is set to face fellow Grand Slam champion Raducanu for a spot in the round of 16.
When they meet on Saturday, it will mark their fourth encounter. Swiatek holds a 3-0 head-to-head record over the 2021 US Open champion, having beaten Raducanu twice on clay in Stuttgart and once in Indian Wells, all in straight sets.
Swiatek: I expect a tough battle, and I trust Wim Fissette to prepare well
“Well, you know more than me because I thought we played two times, but it doesn’t matter. For sure, it’s going to be a tough one. Emma can play great tennis. We all know that,” Swiatek said, speaking about their upcoming match.
She added, “I’ll prepare like I do for any other match. I’m sure Wim [Fissette, Swiatek’s coach] will watch the matches we’ve played before since we weren’t working together at that time. But, yeah, I’ll prepare tomorrow, and I’ll be ready (smiling).”
Though Swiatek enters as the favorite, Raducanu is riding high on confidence after securing two consecutive straight-set victories over 26th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova and world No. 35 Amanda Anisimova in her first two rounds.
Given Raducanu’s strong start, it’s no surprise Swiatek spoke so respectfully about the match. Fans will be eager to see whether Swiatek maintains her winning streak against the Brit or if Raducanu finally notches her first victory over the world No. 2.
