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Swiatek fuelled by 'positive energy' to oust Raducanu
Ian Chadband, AAP • May 29th, 2025 8:57 am
Photo: AAP
"This place inspires me," said Iga Swiatek - and that pronouncement alone in her Roland Garros stronghold should have been enough to terrify the resurgent French Open champion's challengers.
The 'Queen of Clay' hasn't won a single tournament - indeed, she hasn't even reached any final - since she won her fourth title here last year. She's sounded and looked riddled with doubt.
Yet on Wednesday, back at 2 Avenue Gordon Bennett, she was somehow infused with what she felt was "positive energy".
What a performance she delivered to hammer another grand slam winner, Emma Raducanu, who's been in resurgent mood herself of late, but who just couldn't live with the peerless Pole in a 6-1 6-2 rout.
"It was so one-way and so one-sided," Raducanu sighed, doubtless recalling how she only took one game off Swiatek in their Australian Open joust in January.
"I guess when Iga is playing well on a court that she's very familiar with, the difference is huge."
It was and it always is against the luckless Briton. Swiatek shrugged that it was just a match-up that works well for her as she improved their head-to-head to 5-0 without a set dropped.
It's now 23 match wins in a row for Swiatek at her favourite slam, but she's not about to pretend everything is fixed after such a rocky year by her imperious standards.
Two wins did not a grand slam triumph make, she gently chided her interrogators. "You always need to be on your toes and ready for what life brings you. And sometimes, it's going to be good, and one day it's not going to be so easy."
Aryna Sabalenka | Photo: AAP
Aryna Sabalenka is making it look easy, though. Swiss leftie Jil Teichmann was excellent early on, leading 3-1, but ended up getting pounded into the red dirt 6-3 6-1 for her impertinence.
There's be a terrific third round clash in prospect between China's Zheng Qinwen, who won the Paris 2024 Olympic title on these courts, and Canada's exciting 18-year-old qualifier Victoria Mboko after they both made comfortable progress.
Eighth seed Zheng is looking hugely impressive, her power overwhelming Colombia's Emiliana Arango 6-2 6-3, while Mboko's maiden slam adventure will continue into a sixth match after beating Germany's Eva Lys 6-4 6-4 .
Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 champion, reached the third round for the first time in five years, coming from a set down to defeat American Caroline Dolehide 5-7 6-3 6-3.
While ten seeds progressed two went out. Donna Vekic (18) was beaten by American Bernarda Pera 6-2 4-6 7-6 (10-3) and Russia's Diana Shnaider (11) lost to Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska 7-5 7-5. There was no handshake at the end.
Another Ukrainian, Elina Svitolina, was up late, cheering on husband Gael Monfils in his three-and-a-half hour, five-set comeback triumph over Hugo Dellien in Wednesday's (NZ time) match, but the 13th seed showed no ill-effects as she beat Anna Bondar 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.
"I'm very happy with his performance, the way that he fought yesterday," she said, adding with a smile: "Of course, I cannot allow myself to be frustrated for him to make his match long!
"I just fully support him. Doesn't matter what time he plays."
