Swiatek labours into US Open third round / Photo: Kena Betancur - AFP
Swiatek labours into US Open third round
Iga Swiatek battled into the third round of the US Open on Thursday, needing three sets to edge past the Netherlands' lowly ranked Suzan Lamens.
Second seed Swiatek advanced to a meeting against Russia's Anna Kalinskaya with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, victory in two hours and six minutes on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
The Polish ace -- the pre-tournament betting favourite -- had looked to be romping through to the next round after rattling through the opening set in 30 minutes.
Swiatek then appeared poised to wrap up a straightforward win after breaking Lamens for a 4-3 lead in the second set.
Yet Lamens, the world number 66, broke back immediately to make it 4-4 when Swiatek double-faulted on break point in the next game.
Lamens held serve and then broke Swiatek for the third time in the match to take the set and force a decider.
Lamens' fightback though ran out of steam in the third, with Swiatek going a double break up for a 4-1 lead, before closing out victory.
"It wasn't an easy match. I did some mistakes," Swiatek said after her win.
"I felt like it depended on me and if I made mistakes or not, sometimes I did. I probably got a little tight in the second set. Third set is a reset and you've got to start from the beginning."
E.Cunningham--EWJ
Featured