Australian Open: Iga Swiatek cruises into fourth round as Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff progress | Tennis News

World No 1 Iga Swiatek came within one game of a double bagel victory on her way to thrashing Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the third round of the Australian Open.

The top seed has improved through the rounds and was ruthless against Bucsa, dropping just six points in the opening set and moving to 6-0 5-0 when her opponent finally won a game.

The 21-year-old, who is looking to add a first Melbourne Park crown to the French and US Open titles she won last year, then wrapped up a 6-0 6-1 victory after just 55 minutes to ease into the last-16.

“My main goal was to keep my focus till the end because sometimes it’s hard when you feel like you control everything, your mind can wander off,” Swiatek said. “I’m pretty happy that I was solid till the end. I didn’t really let Cristina play her game. I know she can be solid, so I’m pretty happy that I was just disciplined.”

Swiatek has made at least the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the last four years and said she felt she was right where she should be heading into the second week of the year’s first Grand Slam.

“I feel I’m more and more confident since day one here. I’m not even talking about matches, but also practices,” she added. “I feel like I’ve done so much work to feel more confident, more relaxed on court. I’m pretty happy that I did it because it’s just a little bit easier. When you actually played those matches, you can feel the rhythm a little bit more.”

Swiatek should face a tougher test in Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the last 16, after the big-serving Kazakh upset last year’s losing finalist and 13th seed Danielle Collins 6-2 5-7 6-2.

“I’m super happy. It was a really difficult match. Danielle played really well,” Rybakina said. “I started really well and Danielle raised her level in the second set. It was really close, just one break (from Collins, in the second set), so I knew I needed to start the third set really well.”

Jessica Pegula advanced after the American third seed comfortably beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-0 6-2 in 65 minutes, setting up a last-16 clash with former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.

“I was playing aggressive when I had to but also playing smart. I learned a lot from the last time I played her [Kostyuk]. She’s super talented and a great athlete,” Pegula said.

Krejcikova was the first player to advance to the fourth round after a 6-2 6-3 win over Anhelina Kalinina to open play on Friday at Rod Laver Arena, with the 20th-seeded Czech player winning the first five games of the match and dominating her Ukrainian opponent.

American seventh seed Coco Gauff extended her 2023 win-streak to eight matches as the 18-year-old – who has not dropped a set this year – beat compatriot Bernarda Pera 6-3 6-2, while two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka battled back from a set down to defeat tenth seed Madison Keys 1-6 6-2 6-1.