The five-time Grand Slam winner showcased this skill by defeating Rebecca Sramkova with a commanding score of 6-0, 6-2 in just an hour at the Australian Open on Thursday.
Swiatek uniquely stands out as the only player to reach at least the third round in every Grand Slam event this decade.
Remarkably, she has won nearly 12% of her Grand Slam sets by a score of 6-0, placing her among a distinguished group of athletes.
When the No. 49 ranked Sramkova managed to hold serve after enduring a seven-game losing streak, she instinctively raised her arm to acknowledge the applause from the crowd in Rod Laver Arena—one of her rare moments of celebration during the match.
“It was good to play in such an efficient way and just finish it quick,” remarked Swiatek.
“Also, you know, just feel the court and how it is in RLA.”
As the second seed, Swiatek will face 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu next.
Raducanu overcame an early setback to defeat Amanda Anisimova in straight sets, closing the match at 6-3, 7-5.
In a surprising upset, Daniil Medvedev, ranked fifth and a three-time runner-up, was eliminated by 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien after a grueling nearly five-hour match that ended with a final score of 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (8), 1-6, 7-6 (10-7).
Tien had a match point in a pivotal third-set tiebreaker but did not earn another for two hours, until nearly 3 a.m. local time.
Defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner faced a challenging contest for a set and a half but ultimately gained control to defeat Australian wild card and No. 173 ranked Tristan Schoolkate 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.
Taylor Fritz has made a swift journey to the third round, conceding only eight games across his first two matches and spending just over three hours on the court.
The No. 4 seed and 2024 U.S. Open runner-up triumphed over Cristian Garin with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, setting up a third-round clash with the 38-year-old Gael Monfils, who recently made history by becoming the oldest player to win an ATP title.
Other men’s seeds advancing include local talent Alex de Minaur, seeded 8th, No. 16 Lorenzo Musetti, No. 19 Karen Khachanov, and No. 21 Ben Shelton, who secured his win over Pablo Carreno Busta with scores of 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4.
However, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe suffered an exit against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-1 in the fifth set, along with No. 18 Hubert Hurkacz, who also lost.
Emma Raducanu has faced challenges with injuries following her landmark win in 2021, where she became the first qualifier to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
She skipped a preparation tournament before the Australian Open due to a muscle strain and sought treatment on her back during her match against Anisimova.
Despite these setbacks, Raducanu, currently ranked No. 61, remained positive about her upcoming match against Swiatek, noting that she has “nothing to lose” and aims to put her game to the test.
Swiatek is moving past the doping violation that led to her month-long suspension last year, showing no signs of distraction in her performance.
Her second-round match saw her execute with precision; she faced no break points against Sramkova while converting five out of six on her own service.
Swiatek comfortably finished points with winners from both wings and displayed her net play with efficient volleys.
This year, she feels a bit less pressure since she has lost the top ranking to Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending Australian Open champion.
“Yeah, there was a lot of pressure starting the year as No. 1, but I think overall last year I didn’t think about it this much anyway,” she reflected.
“Also, I realized last year that I don’t have 100% influence on what happens with my ranking sometimes. So now I just focus on tennis.”
Emma Navarro, a 2023 U.S. Open semifinalist and seeded in the top eight for the first time, initially faced difficulty after two early service breaks in the third set.
Nonetheless, she regained composure to win against Wang Xiyu with scores of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, striking the air emphatically to mark her tough victory.
“It was really tough the whole time … super tough there at the end,” Navarro expressed.
“Found some good tennis there in the last games.”
Next, she’ll face Ons Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam finalist who fought through asthma issues to defeat Camila Osorio 7-5, 6-3.
Additionally, sixth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who won Wimbledon in 2022 and was the Australian Open runner-up two years ago, achieved her 50th victory in a Grand Slam main draw by overcoming American qualifier Iva Jovic 6-0, 6-3.
The ninth-seeded Daria Kasatkina also moved forward, winning against Wang Yafan 6-2, 6-0, and will play against No. 24 Yulia Putintseva in the following round.