Iga Swiatek dismantled Emma Raducanu in straight sets to book her place in the fourth round of the Australian Open for the fifth time in her career.
As the first week of the Australian Open draws to a close, several players have their sights firmly set on the title.
Swiatek is one of them, having dropped just ten games on her way to the fourth round.
Her latest win was arguably her best, as Swiatek beat Emma Raducanu, 6-0, 6-1, handing the Brit one of the heaviest defeats of her young career.
She remarkably only dropped one extra game during her second-round match as Swiatek took down Rebecca Sramkova, 6-0, 6-2.
The conditions at this year’s tournament seem to suit the WTA star, as the Pole has now given her thoughts on the Australian Open courts.
Iga Swiatek says she ‘hasn’t noticed’ the 2025 Australian Open courts being slower
In her post-match press conference, Swiatek was asked whether she thinks the courts are slower at the 2025 Australian Open.
“I haven’t noticed the courts being slower,” she said.
“So for me, they’re fast anyway.”
Swiatek has, however, noticed a change in the balls at this year’s tournament.
“The balls… I remember that last year I felt like at the beginning when they were new they flew like bullets,” she said.
“You couldn’t really control them, especially, yeah, they were just so fast in the air.”
“I don’t feel this this year, still they are really dynamic and bouncing off the court pretty fast.”
Her comments are very different to those of Jessica Pegula’s, who had a lot to say about the conditions after losing to Olga Danilovic in the third-round.
“Conditions were so slow, it was slower than a clay court, it felt like,” she said.
“The balls were so heavy, and that totally I think favored her for sure.
“It’s just tough having to deal with those conditions and playing against an opponent, I think, where it also favors her, but not just favors her, but also she played really well, I think it was all those factors trending in her direction tonight.”
Pegula lost 6-7, 1-6, as she failed to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the second year running.
Iga Swiatek says tennis shouldn’t be ‘life-or-death’ after reaching Australian Open fourth round
Swiatek’s performance against Raducanu was one of the best we’ve seen at this year’s Australian Open.
Dropping just one game, Swiatek powered her way into the fourth round, where she will face off against Eva Lys.
After the match, Swiatek was asked how she disconnects from the sport, during her off-days.
“Yeah, I mean, for sure I found some nice places in Melbourne,” she said.
“It’s important because you just have to enjoy life off the court to play good, also to find some kind of distance to everything.”
The 23-year-old went on to say that tennis isn’t the be-all and end-all and understands that there is more to life than just winning matches.
“If you’re just focused on tennis, then it suddenly becomes life-or-death kind of thing,” she said.
“It’s not like that, it shouldn’t be like that, it’s just tennis, it’s just a game.
“Off the court, I try to have – I don’t know – just rest in a nicer way that I would even at home, because at home I have so much stuff to do usually.”
Just as she does in Paris for the French Open, Swiatek has been exploring the sights in Melbourne.
“Now, yeah, I just chill, for sure I’m not sitting in my hotel room too much,” she said.
“It’s nice, I love it, but I want to see Melbourne, and I want to just feel the summer and everything because it’s nice.”
Swiatek will return to the court to face Germany’s Lys, on Sunday, January 19.
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