Defending champion Iga Swiatek advanced to the third round at Wimbledon with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 victory over former world number one Karolina Pliskova on Centre Court on Thursday.
The third-seeded Pole delivered a brilliant baseline performance, using heavy topspin forehands to push Pliskova into difficult positions on the grass court.
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Swiatek's win followed a stressful three-set first-round match earlier in the week.
“It was quite a lot,” Swiatek said. “I know that also everybody around me was preparing for this match.
So everybody talked about it. It seemed like the opening match, like everybody wanted to see it, as well.
It was already a show, even though it was a first round only. It’s quite unusual.
Today I felt like it was a normal day at the office. For sure it helped with the preparation and focus and everything.”
Swiatek maintained her composure despite the tactical challenges of playing on grass.
“It’s not that only flat hitters will win here, because the ball also stays kind of long in the air after the bounce,” she said.
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“It’s not that it slides every time as it did like 10 years ago.
I guess there’s more space for topspin players to be solid and to have longer rallies. Obviously I don’t mind that.
For me, the balance is basically between my decisions, because [over the] last [few] months, most of [the] matches that I lost I was playing too fast and too risky.
I feel like it’s more about me than the surface or the conditions.”
Pliskova, who returned from a serious ankle injury with strong runs at Queen's Club and Nottingham, briefly led 2-0 in the second set.
Swiatek quickly recovered the break and won six of the final seven games, overcoming recent difficulties in closing out matches after winning the opening set.
“I think I had trouble at the beginning of the year to accept that,” Swiatek said.
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Swiatek will next face 29th seed Alex Eala, who defeated Maya Joint 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
