Australian Open: Iga Swiatek fights hard to beat Jule Niemeier in tough first round match in Melbourne
:focal(145x121:147x119)/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2022/07/15/3411067-69701524-310-310.jpg)
Updated 16/01/2023 at 12:38 GMT
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek came through her first-round match with Jule Niemeier in straight sets but it was far from easy. Swiatek struggled with her forehand for most of the match, which appeared to be going to a decider. However, the Pole got better towards the end and avoided an upset. Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk
Swiatek beats Niemeier in straight sets at the Aussie Open
Iga Swiatek fought hard to beat Jule Niemeier 6-4 7-5 in a nervy first-round clash at the Australian Open.
Swiatek is favourite to win the opening Grand Slam of the year but was far from her best against an opportunistic Niemeier.
The world No. 1 will play Camila Osorio in the next round on Wednesday.
"I really wanted to be focused on myself because I know that Jule can really serve amazing," said Swiatek post-match. "At the US Open she was using these fast conditions that we played in.
"She was really putting pressure on me so this time I just wanted to not really think about that but think about what I can do to push her back, and I’m pretty happy as this attitude is always easier to focus on yourself, so I’m pretty happy that I got through this match.
"Besides being really nervous I really enjoyed it, especially with you guys [crowd] because you’re really loud and I like it, so thank you."
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/01/16/3527392-71895013-2560-1440.jpg)
'Besides being green, I really enjoyed it!' - Swiatek post-match interview
Swiatek struggled with her forehand for most of the match and was forced to save two break points in the seventh game.
It was Niemeier who was the slightly better player and was holding serve more easily. However, the key moment came at 5-4 when serving to stay in the set as the German made some errors and handed the set to Swiatek.
Niemeier continued her aggression and broke in the second game of the next set. She withstood pressure from Swiatek but began to find it difficult to hold her serve.
The world No. 68 needed to hold serve one more time to win the set, but cracked, just like she did in the first set. Swiatek capitalised and won the next two games to reach the last 64.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/01/16/3527477-71896708-2560-1440.png)
Australian Open highlights - Swiatek storms past Niemeier to reach second round
Wilander on how Swiatek will find problems
Swiatek is hoping to better her semi-final run from last year in Melbourne and to add to her three Grand Slam titles.
Eurosport expert Mats Wilander has explained Swiatek's status at the top of the rankings, and as the player to beat, will cause her problems, particularly on serve.
"On the big points but it does seem to me it's pretty clear, ok Jule Niemeier plays her style of tennis and she doesn't really worry about her opponent because she hits it so hard, but at the same time they are going hard at Swiatek’s second serve so it's a very clear pattern now," said Wilander.
"I think for Iga, rather than thinking that this is a problem, she has arrived at a point in her career where there’s only one that the girls are going to try and play against her, so now she’s prepared for it in every match.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/01/16/3527402-71895213-2560-1440.jpg)
'I don't think there is a woman out there who moves as well as Swiatek' - Cube analysis
"But Iga’s served extremely smart in the beginning, she served a lot of body serves, she won more than 80% of the first serves in the first set, so that’s got to give her confidence, but they’re going to play better.
"The top players have to get through and they get better and better and better. Often we see the lower ranks play great at the beginning then get worse and worse and they never go, but the top players they fight through. She’s going to get better, even though this was a great match."
No major upsets yet in women’s draw
Jessica Pegula, Maria Sakkari and Coco Gauff had an easier time than Swiatek as they all came through in straight sets on Monday.
Pegula dropped just one game against Jaqueline Cristian in her 6-0 6-1 victory, while Gauff beat Katerina Siniakova 6-1 6-4. Sakkari also won by the same scoreline versus Yuan Yue.
- - -
Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2214.png)
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2206.png)