Iga Swiatek said she felt Emma Raducanu “lost her belief a bit” after she thrashed her fellow Grand Slam winner at the Australian Open.
The world No.2 claimed she played the “perfect” match as she won the final 11 games to race to a 6-1, 6-0 victory in only 70 minutes in the first match in the Rod Laver Arena
It is the 72nd time the Polish star has bagelled an opponent at Tour level.
She did not face a break point in the match and hit 24 winners as she reached the fourth round here for the loss of only 10 games.
For sure I felt great,” said the five-time major champion. “I felt like the ball is listening to me. This match was kind of perfect for me.”
Asked when she sensed this would be a one-sided encounter, Swiatek said: “I try not to think of that during the match because it makes your head kind of lazy, you know? I just wanted to finish it and to close it.
“I felt like she might have lost her belief a bit. But honestly, you never know what’s going on on the other side of the net.
I know know if I would not be so intense, if I would back out, she for sure would use it because she’s an experienced player. I just focused on myself. I didn’t want to change anything.
“I don’t take it personally. I wouldn’t say I’m ruthless. I just try to have the same kind of attitude and same kind of focus no matter what the score is.
On whether she felt she’d made a statement, Swiatek replied: “But it’s not like I want to show something. I’m just playing my game. If it’s working, why stopping? I also seen many matches when someone was back being down like 2-5 or something.
I was ready for a big battle and for anything that I can show. I’m always on my toes and ready. I think this is what my kind of focus is about. You always have to just keep going. It’s not over till it’s over.”
The reigning French Open champion will face German lucky loser Eva Lys in the fourth round on Monday.
