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Tennis: Swiatek up and running at Australian Open as Alcaraz makes bow

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John WEAVER, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Iga Swiatek of Poland in action during her first round match against Sofia Kenin of the USA on Day 3 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia January 16, 2024. Lukas Coch, EPA-EFE." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/tvpatrol/01/16/011624_tennis_ao-iga-swiatek_epa.jpg"/><figcaption>Iga Swiatek of Poland in action during her first round match against Sofia Kenin of the USA on Day 3 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia January 16, 2024. <em>Lukas Coch, EPA-EFE.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MELBOURNE, Australia -- Iga Swiatek survived a tough test against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin to reach the second round in Melbourne on Tuesday as Carlos Alcaraz prepared to make his bow.</p><p>The Polish world number one came through 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 against the player she beat to win her first Grand Slam title, at the French Open in 2020.</p><p>In-form Swiatek, 22, twice came back from a break down in a grueling first set lasting 68 minutes but stepped on the gas in the second set, winning the final five games to finish with a flourish.</p><p>The four-time major winner, now on a 17-match winning streak, will face either America&#x27;s Danielle Collins or former winner Angelique Kerber next.</p><p>&quot;Really happy, it&#x27;s not easy to play the first match, especially the first Grand Slam of the season,&quot; said Swiatek, who owns three Roland Garros crowns and another at the US Open.</p><p>&quot;Wasn&#x27;t easy at the beginning to find my rhythm and I felt a little bit off and Sofia did everything to keep it that way.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m happy that I managed to get through the second set.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/15/24/osaka-loses-at-australian-open-on-grand-slam-comeback">Tennis: Osaka loses at Australian Open on Grand Slam comeback</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/15/24/tennis-gauff-powers-through-at-australian-open">Medvedev, Gauff power through at Australian Open ahead of Osaka comeback</a></li></ul><p>There was also a first-round win for former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who brushed aside Australian wildcard Olivia Gadecki 6-3, 6-1.</p><p>On the men&#x27;s side, 11th seed Casper Ruud beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, while Britain&#x27;s Cameron Norrie, seeded 19th, saw off Peru&#x27;s Juan Pablo Varillas in straight sets.</p><div><strong>- Motivated Alcaraz -</strong></div><p>Another headline act of day three in Melbourne is Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, who is vying with Novak Djokovic for the coveted number one spot.</p><p>The Spaniard, 20, edged the Serbian great in a thrilling final at the All England Club last year to win his second major.</p><p>Since that meeting at Wimbledon, world number one Djokovic, a 10-time winner in Melbourne, has come out on top twice against his young opponent, including at the ATP Finals in November.</p><p>But Alcaraz, who missed last year&#x27;s Australian Open with a hamstring injury, is undaunted as he prepares for his first match against veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet.</p><p>He said the challenge of toppling Djokovic -- king of Rod Laver Arena -- gave him &quot;extra motivation&quot;.</p><p>&quot;I always want to play against the best players in the world to see what my level is,&quot; he said. &quot;Obviously it&#x27;s a good test, playing against him in the places or in the tournament that he&#x27;s almost unbeaten.</p><p>&quot;Yeah, I am looking to reach the final and hopefully playing a final against him. It would be great, obviously.&quot;</p><p>Last year&#x27;s beaten women&#x27;s finalist Elena Rybakina, fresh from winning the Brisbane International, takes on former world number one Karolina Pliskova.</p><p>Emma Raducanu, who faces America&#x27;s Shelby Rogers, is an unknown quantity after an eight-month layoff.</p><p>The British player stunned the tennis world when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2021 as a qualifier but only on one other occasion has she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam.</p><p>However, she is confident she can recover her best form after a frustrating period.</p><p>&quot;I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together,&quot; she said.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2931832" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Iga Swiatek survived a tough test against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin to reach the second round in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Tennis: Swiatek up and running at Australian Open as Alcaraz makes bow

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Tennis: Swiatek up and running at Australian Open as Alcaraz makes bow

John WEAVER,

Agence France-Presse

Published Jan 16, 2024 12:40 PM PHT

Read More:

tennis

Australian Open

Sofia Kenin

Carlos Alcaraz

Iga Swiatek

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