Swiatek finds the required intensity

WORLD No.1 Iga Swiatek wasted little time reaching the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, sweeping past Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-2 6-3 in a physical clash on Rod Laver Arena.

The title favourite from Poland said after a tough firstround examination that she needed to find some extra “intensity”, and she found the spark against the 21-year-old world No.84.

The 2022 French and US Open champion, also 21, is looking to win her first Australian Open and reached the last 32 after 1hr 24min of gritty resistance from Osorio.

“The match was much tougher than the score says,” said Swiatek, who made her Australian Open debut in 2019.

“It was really intense physically and Camila didn’t give me many points for free, so I needed to really work for every and each of them.”

She recorded her best result at Melbourne Park last year, losing to Danielle Collins in the semi-finals.

The three-time major winner – she also triumphed at Roland Garros in 2020 – will face 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada or Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the third round.

Swiatek agreed Andreescu, who has suffered form and injury setbacks since her lone major triumph and reaching No.4 in the world, would be a difficult opponent.

“She can play great tennis. She’s really solid,” she said of the current world No.43.

Swiatek won their only previous tour-level meeting, a 7-6 (7/2) 6-0 victory in last year’s Rome quarter-finals on clay.

“I wouldn’t really look at our matches on clay, because it’s different,” she said.

“It’s nice that I know . . . how her ball feels on my racquet.

“But there’s not much tactical stuff I can take from that match.”