World No. 2 Iga Swiatek steadied herself after a dramatic dip to secure a place in the Australian Open last 16 on Saturday, January 24, in Melbourne. The six-time Grand Slam champion defeated 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 in a match defined by sharp momentum swings.

Playing in the night session at Rod Laver Arena, Swiatek showed both dominance and vulnerability across one hour and 44 minutes. Her performance mirrored a stop-start tournament run as she continues her pursuit of an elusive Australian Open crown.

The Polish star has yet to fully settle at Melbourne Park after opening her campaign with a grinding win over Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue. That inconsistency surfaced again as the match swung wildly from set to set.

Momentum swings define the contest

Swiatek tore through the opening set in just 34 minutes, overwhelming Kalinskaya with depth and relentless pace. The tone shifted dramatically in the second set as errors crept in and Kalinskaya capitalized to level the match in emphatic fashion.

The sudden reversal left Swiatek visibly frustrated as her rhythm deserted her. Kalinskaya’s aggression forced the Pole onto the defensive and briefly threatened to turn the contest into a major upset.

Swiatek regains control

The deciding set saw Swiatek reset and reassert her authority with cleaner ball-striking and sharper movement. She quickly raced ahead and never allowed Kalinskaya to regain belief as the match swung back in her favor.

Swiatek closed out the contest with ease to book a fourth-round meeting with Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis. Inglis advanced after four-time major champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from the tournament due to injury.