Melbourne, Jan 24 (IANS) Russian Anna Kalinskaya challenged World No. 2 Iga Swiatek significantly before the latter secured a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 victory at the Margaret Court Arena on Saturday, moving into the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Swiatek rebounded strongly from her uncertain second set to secure the victory in 1 hour and 44 minutes, maintaining her momentum in pursuit of a career Grand Slam.

The second-seeded Pole was in ⁠her ruthless form, quickly building a 5-1 ‌lead with a double break and winning the ​opening set in just 24 minutes to dominate an off-colour Kalinskaya, who received treatment for her lower back during the break.

However, a role reversal in the second set saw six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek give up her serve three times, as Kalinskaya took control and exploited several errors from the Pole.

Swiatek took a medical timeout between the second and third sets before returning with a vengeance, winning five straight games to stamp out Kalinskaya’s resistance.

To her credit, the 31st seed held serve and made Swiatek defend three break points, but it was too little, too late as the Pole held serve for the win.

Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, is striving to achieve a career Slam by winning the Australian Open. The two-time semi-finalist has a 25-7 record at the happy slam, and this is the sixth time she’s reached at least the fourth round at the Australian Grand Slam. Overall, in Grand Slam tournaments, the Pole’s win-loss record is now 107-21.

The Polish star dominated the opening set with a flawless service game, but Kalinskaya responded with an emphatic 6-1 second set of her own, serving confidently and dictating with aggressive forehands. In the decider, Swiatek reasserted control, winning six straight games with blistering serves and relentless pressure to seal the match. Despite Kalinskaya’s resistance and saved match points, the No. 2’s firepower and composure proved decisive.

She will next compete against Maddison Inglis, the final home favourite and remaining qualifier. Inglis, ranked World No. 168 and having saved two match points in her first qualifying match against Leyre Romero Gormaz, moved forward after Naomi Osaka withdrew due to a left abdominal injury.

–IANS

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