Sports Desk, Jan 18 (EFE).- Polish top seed Iga Swiatek came back from 1-4 down in the third set to beat the American Danielle Collins by a tight 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday.
Danielle Collins of the US in action during her 2nd round match against Iga Swiatek of Poland on Day 5 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia 18 January 2024. EFE-EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT
“I was on the airport already. But I want to fight till the end. I knew that she played just perfectly, but it would be hard for anybody to keep that level, so I wanted to be ready,” Swiatek said in the on-field interview after the thriller that lasted more than three hours.
Play is suspended due to rain during a 2nd round match between Iga Swiatek of Poland and Danielle Collins of the US on Rod Laver Arena on Day 5 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia 18 January 2024. EFE-EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT
“I am really proud of myself. It wasn’t easy,” she said.
With the win, Swiatek avenged the tough loss that she had suffered to Collins in the 2022 semifinals at Melbourne Park.
Both players had to overcome a former champion in the first round, as Swiatek beat the American Sofia Kenin and Collins defeated the German Angelique Kerber.
Rain interrupted the game in the early stages of the second set, forcing the roof of the Rod Laver Arena to be closed.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was put on the ropes after she made 35 unforced errors against 36 winners.
“I felt that I had the momentum going, and then, you know, she started playing suddenly two times faster, and I had kind of no idea how to react to that for a couple of minutes, a couple of games,” she said.
“But I came back, and I thought that the only thing I can focus is myself. I stopped caring how she was going to play,” she added.
The Pole world no. 1 has now won 18 consecutive matches dating back to title runs in Beijing and the WTA Finals in Cancun last year.
Her next rival will be the 19-year-old Czech Linda Noskova, who beat the American McCartney Kessler 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. EFE
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