AO Women: Day 3 review

Top seed Iga Swiatek schooled Colombian outsider Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-3 on a rainy Wednesday to continue her smooth progress at the Australian Open.

Swiatek’s match was played under the closed roof of the Rod Laver Arena while competitors scheduled on outside courts at Melbourne Park had to wait into the afternoon on uncooperative weather.

Swiatek moved through to the third round in 84 minutes, breaking her 84th-ranked opponent on six of eight chances.

The winner maintained her torrid pace at the majors, winning her 12th consecutive second-round match.

Swiatek hasn’t lost before the third round of a Grand Slam since the 2019 US Open and has won 53 of her first 65 main-draw Grand Slam singles matches.

“It was really intense, and pretty physical,” the Polish winner said.

“It was much tougher than what the score says. Camila, she’s a great fighter.

“She didn’t give me many points for free but I’m happy I was solid and I could finish it.”

There was an equally straightforward 90-minute victory for third-seeded Jessica Pegula, a 6-2, 7-6(5) winner over Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

The American seed advanced on her second match point. Pegula has reached the quarters in her last two appearances here, but is hoping to make an improvement.

“That’s the plan but it’s tough out here,” the daughter of the billionaire owner of the NFL Buffalo Bills said. “I’m only taking it one match at a time.”

Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari saw off a challenge from an 18-year-old college freshman in the US, but managed to subdue Russian qualifier Diana Shnaider 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

“There were moments in the match where I thought I was gonna lose, but then my belief somehow woke me up,” Sakkari said.

“I tried and I found ways to come back and to close out this match.

“It wasn’t easy, she was playing with nothing to lose, she was playing very, very good.

“I’m glad I found a way to win.”

2019 finalist Petra Kvitova suffered an early disappointment as the double Wimbledon champion lost 7-5, 6-4 to Anhelina Kalinina who earned a personal best

at a major by moving into the third round in only her second Melbourne appearance.

American Madison Keys advanced past Wang Xinyu of China 6-3, 6-2.