LONDON, July 2: Defending champion Iga Swiatek cleared a potentially dangerous early hurdle with ease as she defeated former world number one Karolina Pliskova to reach round three at Wimbledon on Thursday.
Czech 34-year-old Pliskova, back on the rise after an ankle injury almost ended her career, landed some heavy artillery on Centre Court but was no match for Swiatek who won 6-1 6-3.
Swiatek, aiming to break the so-called champion’s curse and become the first woman for a decade to retain the Wimbledon crown, looked sharp in the sunshine, taking the opening set in 25 minutes before being forced to work a bit harder.
She has now reached the last-32 stage at 26 successive Grand Slam tournaments — a record only bettered by Martina Navratilova and Conchita Martinez.
“I’m feeling more stable today — and that’s good. The first round was really emotional for sure,” Swiatek, who was pushed to three sets in her opener by Taylor Townsend, said on court. “Today I felt like it was another day in the office.“Even when she was playing fast and flat, I knew that my spin gives me control.”Pliskova missed the entire 2025 season after rupturing ankle ligaments at the 2024 U.S. Open and began the year ranked 1,054 but has battled back up into the top 100.
She reached the Wimbledon final in 2021 and there were flashes of the pulverising ground strokes and powerful serve as she occasionally managed to knock six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek out of her comfort zone.Pliskova even led 2-0 at the start of the second set but double-faults gifted Swiatek successive service breaks and the Pole needed no second invitation to race to victory. Swiatek will face 29th seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines after she beat Serena Williams’ conqueror Maya Joint 3-6 6-2 6-0.
GAUFF SURVIVES
Two times Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff staved off another early exit from Wimbledon by beating Argentina’s Solana Sierra 6-3 3-6 7-6(10-7) with a tiebreak turnaround to reach the third round on Wednesday.Wimbledon is the only major where the American has yet to go beyond the fourth round and the seventh seed was staring down the barrel of defeat against an opponent who last year became the first lucky loser to reach the women’s last 16 in the Open era.Gauff rattled through the first set on Court One but lost her way in the second, possibly unsettled by a bizarre serve that went sideways into the umpire’s chair. (Agencies)
