MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Iga Swiatek tends not to waste time in the first week of Grand Slams.
When the five-time Grand Slam champion dispatched Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2 in a clean hour at the Australian Open on Thursday, Swiatek was living a habit of advancing quickly through the early rounds.
She’s the only player to reach the third round or better at every Grand Slam in this decade. Swiatek has won almost 12% of her sets in Grand Slams by 6-0, which puts her in exclusive company.
Read More: Iga Swiatek is still the only tennis player to reach the third round at every Grand Slam this decade
When No. 49-ranked Sramkova ended a seven-game losing run by holding serve, she raised her arm to acknowledge the applause from the Rod Laver Arena crowd. It was one of the few chances she had to celebrate.
“It was good to play in such an efficient way and just finish it quick,” Swiatek said. “Also, you know, just feel the court and how it is in RLA.”
Second-seeded Swiatek next faces 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who recovered from an early break in the second set to hold off Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-5.
Three-time runner-up and No. 5 Daniil Medvedev was ousted when 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien hung tough to prevail 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (8), 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) after nearly five hours. Tien had a match point in the third-set tiebreaker and didn’t earn another for two hours, until nearly 3 a.m. Friday local time.
