Swiatek leads off Open day seven seeking champion scalp

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Swiatek leads off Open day seven seeking champion scalp

World No.2 Iga Swiatek will look to claim the scalp of a fellow grand slam champion in her pursuit of a maiden *********** Open crown.

The five-time major winner, vying to reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park for a fifth time, is set to lock horns with 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the first match on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.

Swiatek, 23, has a perfect record against the Brit, winning in straight sets twice at Stuttgart and once at Indian Wells.

But Raducanu, also 23, appears threatening, having strolled into the third round at the Open for the first time with victories over Russian 26st seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and American Amanda Anisimova.

“It’s going to be a tough one. Emma can play great tennis. We all know that,” the Pole said of the world No.61.

“Honestly, there’s no point looking at rankings, especially when you have these great players that have already been through great tournaments and won some tournaments.

“You know that they can play well.”

The Brit is hungry for the challenge against one of the tournament favourites, who added a fourth French Open to her trophy collection last year but is yet to venture past the semi-finals at the Open.

“You live for these matches,” said Raducanu.

Former US Open finalist Madison Keys has been one of the form players of the summer, and scored her ninth WTA Tour title in Adelaide.

Her centre-court contest with fellow American Danielle Collins should make for compelling viewing on Sunday evening.

World No.11 Collins, who goaded the local crowd after her three-set win over *********** Destanee Aiava, said Keys had been on a tear in recent weeks and recalled their extensive history.

“It’s crazy. We played so many matches against each other,” she said of her 19th-seeded rival.

“The only thing I can really think about is the fact we were pen pals when we were 10 years old. Yeah, we go back really far, are good friends.

“It’s pretty cool, pretty full-circle moment to go from 10-and-unders and 12-and-unders to playing on one of the biggest stages in the world.”

Their clash will follow reigning Open men’s winner Jannik Sinner meeting Marcos Giron for a place in the last 16 after the American needed all five sets to battle past Argentina’s Tomas Martín Etcheverry.

In other mouth-watering matches on day seven, *********** Alex de Minaur duels with Argentine 31st seed Francisco Cerundolo, 38-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils faces red-hot American world No.4 Taylor ****** and Italian fourth seed Jasmine Paolini meets Ukrainian and Monfils’ wife Elina Svitolina.

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