Tennis Australian Open Women's Singles -

Exclusive: Emma Raducanu jokes she'll need '15th gear' to beat Iga Swiatek after win at Australian Open

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Emma Raducanu has said that she'll need to be in "15th gear" when she faces Iga Swiatek in the third round of the 2025 Australian Open. The Briton progressed into round three at Melbourne Park for the first time with a 6-3 7-5 victory over her friend Amanda Anisimova, while Swiatek dismantled Rebecca Sramkova 6-0 6-1 in just an hour. Swiatek leads the pair's head-to-head 3-0.

Raducanu excited for 'great opportunity' against Swiatek after latest win

Video credit: TNT Sports

Emma Raducanu joked that she’ll need to be in "15th gear" in order to beat Iga Swiatek in the third round of the Australian Open.

The Briton earned a match-up with the world No. 2 after she beat Amanda Anisimova 6-3 7-5 on Kia Arena, while Swiatek needed just an hour to cruise past Rebecca Sramkova 6-0 6-1.

Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is on her comeback trail from another injury lay-off, with her first match since September being her opening-round victory over 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Court 3.

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The 22-year-old was forced to withdraw from the Auckland Classic, her warm-up tournament before the year’s first Grand Slam, with a back issue, but she recovered in time to take part in Melbourne.

Her decision to play has paid off, as she reached the third round at Melbourne Park for the first time with victory over another tricky opponent in Anisimova, who Raducanu calls a friend.

"I’m incredibly proud of myself for getting through that match," Raducanu exclusively told Eurosport's Barbara Schett.

"Before, I was a little bit more nervous. Playing a friend was really difficult. I’m so happy and proud of the way I fought through the second set. I had some teething problems again with my serve but I managed to get it going in patches, and it helped me out as well."

Raducanu has seen her last couple of years severely blighted by injury - having double-wrist surgery in 2023 - before missing much of 2024 with other niggles.

"I played better today," she continued.

"I haven’t played many matches. It’s difficult going straight in and playing a top seed like Alexandrova, but I’m happy with how I was able to build on that performance. I knew today that I wasn’t going to get around pushing the ball. When I did, she punished me straight away. I had to take my chances, and I’m sure it’s going to be the same in the next round."

Another player who could punish Raducanu's mistakes straight away is Swiatek, who the Briton faces in the third round, but the 22-year-old is approaching the match with a clear mindset.

Raducanu continues run with fine win over Anisimova - Australian Open highlights

Video credit: TNT Sports

"[I probably have to reach] 15th gear if that exists," Raducanu replied when asked how she can beat the world No. 2.

"It’s a great opportunity for me. I can just go out there and swing, play, enjoy the atmosphere. I’m looking forward to it. It’s the [fourth] time that we play. It’s going to be a great match, and a great opportunity for me to play in front of an amazing atmosphere, which I love the most."

Despite struggling with her serve throughout the match, Raducanu was clinical converting her break point opportunities, taking eight of the 10 presented to her.

She hit just 12 winners, but was less error-strewn than her American opponent, making just 17 unforced errors to Anisimova's 44.

"This is a Slam that I love playing at," the Brit said in her on-court interview.

"To make it past the second round means a lot to me. I thought the support was so good. An amazing atmosphere, today and in my first match, and I can’t wait to play again.

'Incredibly difficult to play a friend' says Raducanu

Video credit: TNT Sports

"She’s such an amazing opponent. She’s had so many big wins. I knew I had to fight hard, raise my game, and not go away in the second set, even when the chips were down. I’m really pleased and I wish her all the best.

"It was tricky today; it was windy, a little bit blustery on one side, but we both had to deal with that. Both in patches, we had some moments with our serve. The way I managed to regroup and get it going towards the end of the first, I was pretty proud of that. It’s better to laugh it off than get stressed about it."

'What an effort that was!' - Raducanu 'dug deep' to reach third round

Video credit: TNT Sports

That next round will be her sternest test yet, as she faces Swiatek, who has a point to prove after her return from suspension for a banned substance.

The Pole, the current world No. 2, has not dropped a set in either of her first two matches.

"It’ll be a good match for me," Raducanu said.

"I’m loving it, it’s another opportunity to test my game and see where I’m at. We’ve played twice before on clay. Let’s see on a hard court. Obviously, she’s achieved so much already. I have nothing to lose; I’m just going to swing, and do my best."

The head-to-head score is 3-0 in Swiatek’s favour, with the five-time Grand Slam champion beating Raducanu on two separate occasions on the Stuttgart clay, and in the last 16 of Indian Wells in 2023.

"I'm looking forward to going out there and testing my game against the best, because ultimately, you play tennis, and you live for these matches," Raducanu said in her post-match press conference.

"It's going to be a great buzz of adrenaline."

'If I play well, I'll be back at No. 1'

Swiatek herself had not played any warm-up matches before the Australian Open, like Raducanu.

She had lost out on crucial ranking points at the back-end of 2024 as she served her provisional suspension for a banned substance through the Asian hard-court swing, and when she returned in Riyadh at the WTA World Tour Finals, she was surprisingly knocked out in the group stage.

Swiatek swats aside Sramkova in just one hour - Australian Open highlights

Video credit: TNT Sports

She arrived in Melbourne as the world No. 2, having never won the title previously, while Aryna Sabalenka, the current world No. 1, is defending the women's crown for a second-successive year, and the Belarusian will be feeling a similar pressure to the one that Swiatek has faced for the past couple of years.

"I remember for the past two years I started at No. 1, so I felt like I needed to show from the beginning of the season my tools and what I can play," Swiatek said.

"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. Also, I realised last year that I don't have a 100% influence on what happens with my ranking sometimes.

"So now I just focus on tennis. If I play well, I know I'll be back at No. 1. If I don't and Aryna plays better, she'll be No. 1. I think it's just smarter to focus on tennis, and the ranking will come after that."

Watch and stream the 2025 Australian Open live on Eurosport and discovery+

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