Swiatek reaches third round of Australian Open with praise for Djokovic
Iga Swiatek has moved into the third round of the Australian Open as her bid for a career Grand Slam continues.
It’s been a solid start to the tournament, and she appears to be getting sharper with each match.
This second-round win showed a bit more freedom in her game. She hasn’t yet reached an Australian Open final, but this performance hinted at something different compared to past runs here.
Speaking after the match, Swiatek thanked Novak Djokovic, saying his approach had been an influence on her recently. In particular, she noted how he seemed to enjoy every aspect of his career – even when things weren’t going well – and that perspective has helped her deal with external pressures better.
Iga Swiatek speaks out after advancing to the Australian Open third round
Speaking immediately after her latest win over Marie Bouzková, Iga Swiatek first noted: “Yeah, honestly, it felt great playing today. I felt more free than in my first round, so I really wanted to go for it, and for sure, you know, the conditions also weren’t easy.
“I don’t know if you guys feel that, but on the court it’s super windy, so I needed to adjust to that, and I’m really happy with the performance for sure.”
When asked if she finds satisfaction in routine wins like this one, Swiatek responded: “Yeah. I mean mostly yeah. That’s true that – you know – honestly… okay this is not going to sound like I’m humble but after winning so much it’s hard to appreciate just one match.
“I’m usually kind of happy after I finish a whole tournament if I’ve won. If not then I’m a bit less happy. But for sure I’ve got to learn to appreciate every single match and not take anything for granted and play to win not to lose. It was a good day today.”
This was where Swiatek used her opportunity to credit Djokovic, citing him as a reason for her recent change in mindset: “Well, my approach has naturally always been good but circumstances have changed a little bit. It became more routine playing these matches.
“You know 2022 when I reached the quarter-finals my racket went up because of how much it meant at the time. Now perspective changes because of how many more times I’ve been there since then.
“You have bad days or people judge your play but coming back mentally is important.”
Iga Swiatek’s record at the Australian Open
It is remarkable to think that, despite her age, this is already Swiatek’s eighth appearance in the main draw of the Australian Open.
She has yet to reach a final at this event, though. The semi-finals are as far as she has ever gone, and even then, just twice.
That being said, since winning Wimbledon in 2025, the importance of adding this particular Grand Slam title to her trophy collection has only grown. It is now the only one missing from her full set.
The last couple of years have not been great for her either. She was eliminated in the fourth round in 2023 and made it only one step further in 2024.
This year does feel different, though. Her early form suggests she could be on track for another deep run into the tournament.
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