Iga Swiatek Says She Hasn't Reached Her "Peak" After Dominant Australian Open Performance

Tennis Jan 20, 2025 0 145 Add to Reading List

By Wallace-Ejoh Ovie Kwame

20th January 2025

Iga Swiatek showcased her dominance with a commanding victory over lucky loser Eva Lys, securing her spot in the Australian Open quarter-finals in just 59 minutes. The five-time Grand Slam champion dropped only one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win on Rod Laver Arena, ending Lys’ remarkable run.

At 23, Swiatek believes her best is yet to come. "I don't feel like I'm at my peak yet, but matches like that definitely give me confidence. I feel like I'm playing good tennis," said the second seed, who is making her first quarter-finals appearance in Melbourne since 2022.

Swiatek's win comes after a solid 6-1, 6-0 third-round victory over Emma Raducanu, during which she conceded just 10 points in a flawless first set. Her opponent, Germany’s Lys, made history as the first women’s singles lucky loser to reach the Australian Open fourth round in the Open era. Lys, ranked 128th, only made the main draw after Anna Kalinskaya’s withdrawal, despite initially booking a flight home after losing in the qualifiers.

Next, Swiatek will face American eighth seed Emma Navarro, who overcame ninth seed Daria Kasatkina in a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 match.

Off the court, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced it will not appeal Swiatek’s one-month suspension for a positive test for the heart medication trimetazidine in August 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Agency had determined the result was caused by contamination, and Swiatek served her ban, which ended on December 4.

Swiatek could reclaim the world number one ranking from Aryna Sabalenka if the defending champion fails to reach the semi-finals.