Defending champion Iga Swiatek made short work of fellow former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova during their second-round match at Wimbledon on Thursday.
The third-seeded Swiatek converted six of eight break points en route to a 6-1, 6-3 victory, dispatching the Czech native in 70 minutes. Swiatek, of Poland, improved to 4-0 against Pliskova.
Swiatek enjoyed a much easier time of it versus Pliskova after outlasting Taylor Townsend in three sets during the opening round.
“It was quite a lot,” Swiatek said of her 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 win over Townsend. “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 advanced to face 29th-seeded Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, who rallied to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 win over Australian Maya Joint on Thursday.
“I think it’s going to be tough for me,” Eala said of facing Swiatek on Saturday for the third time in her career. “I’m going to try to make it tough for her, as well. It’s a different surface than we’ve played at before, so I think definitely there should be some different aspects to the last time.
“She’s won a Slam on grass. She’s won a Slam on clay. She’s won a slam on hard so I’m expecting a great challenge.”
Also, second-seeded Elena Rybakina had a 20-8 edge in winners while coasting to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Caty McNally.
Sixth-seeded Amanda Anisimova, No. 9 Czech Linda Noskova and 12th-seeded Marta Kostyuk of the Ukraine each needed three sets to thwart the respective upset bids of Sofia Kenin, Colombia’s Camila Osorio and Russia’s Anna Blinkova. Anisimova recorded a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3) win over Kenin, Noskova prevailed 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 against Osorio while Kostyuk rallied to a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3 victory over Blinkova.
No. 13 Jasmine Paolini of Italy recorded a 7-6 (0), 6-4 victory over Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic.
No. 15 Diana Shnaider wasn’t as fortunate in her match against fellow Russian Liudmila Samsonova. The latter posted a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Shnaider.
No. 17 Sorana Cirstea of Romania had six aces during a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Australia’s Kimberly Birrell.
Other seeded winners included No. 21 Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic, No. 23 Emma Navarro, No. 25 Elise Mertens of Belgium and No. 26 Madison Keys.
–Field Level Media
