Iga Swiatek beats Emma Raducanu 6-1 6-0

Emma Raducanu pulls out her best service game since her hold early in the match to save a break point then win at deuce with a sublime cross-court backhand. But Iga Swiatek’s power is something to behold as the Pole finds a pair of cross-court winners from the baseline. Raducanu drops her head, double faults to give up another game, and Swiatek will serve for the match.

Iga Swiatek has arrived with a plan and continues to target Emma Raducanu’s backhand with her serve. It’s a strategy that is paying dividends as a third double fault of the day for Swiatek is Raducanu’s only joy while the second seed moves to 6-1, 4-0.

Emma Raducanu said before this third round clash with the second seed that she ‘has nothing to lose’ and would be able to play freely. Only half of that appears to be true now as Iga Swiatek breaks her again to take a 3-0 lead in the second set.

Emma Navarro (8) wins the first set against Ons Jabeur 6-4 as the American aims to reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time. But Navarro has been taken to three sets in the first two rounds and Jabeur is a renowned fighter, so expect more to come from MCA.

Emma Raducanu pressures the second seed on her service game for the first time but can’t quite make the break. Iga Swiatek drops just the third and fourth points on her serve today (and two have been double faults!) to fall behind 15-30, but then drops a blistering forehand winner onto the baseline to draw level and works Raducanu around the court twice more to seal the game.

Iga Swiatek picks up where she left off in the first set, breaking Emma Raducanu to make it six games on the trot. Raducanu was able to stay in the game with some searching winners on either side but Swiatek is chasing down anything and everything. It’s hard to see how the young Brit can turn this around.

A tense battle is brewing over on John Cain Arena after Alex Michelsen claimed the first set from Karen Khachanov 6-3. The 19th seed responded quickly to race out to a 4-1 lead in the second but now it’s the young American’s turn to fight back as he serves to try to level the set at 4-4.

Iga Swiatek wins the first set 6-1 in just 31 minutes. The second seed is holding her serve with ease while Emma Raducanu is initially struggling to land her first serve often enough (13/25) and then deal with Swiatek’s powerful returns. Raducanu’s second serve is proving to be too timid as well, taking just 3/12 points from it. The young Brit needs to quickly settle into the second set or this could be done and dusted within an hour.

The first set is slipping away quickly for Emma Raducanu as Iga Swiatek breaks her again. The second seed takes a 5-1 lead.

Iga Swiatek holds to love again. The second seed has only dropped one point in her three service games so far, as her powers – and speed – of recovery are proving too much for Emma Raducanu even when she is able to works some angles.

Iga Swiatek breaks Emma Raducanu. The second seed has been devasting with her returns as Raducanu is finding it hard to work into rallies even when she does land a first serve. Swiatek seals the 3-1 lead with a pinpoint backhand that beats Raducanu at the net in ominous signs for the young Brit.

Emma Raducanu beats off a pair of break points and two deuces to hold serve. The 22-year-old will need to land more first serves if she is to genuinely challenge the second seed today. Iga Swiatek breezes through another service game, this time only dropping the one point as she nets a forehand with a rare unforced error.

Iga Swiatek serves first and holds to love. Emma Raducanu took some time to get going in her second round clash with her good friend Amanda Anisimova, but there will be little time to waste against the second seed.

Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek have completed their warm-ups on Rod Laver Arena and we’re about to get under way. But hang on, the second seed is have a word to the match official and seems to be concerned about a lack of towels. Well, I guess that sets the tone for what should be a heated clash in steamy conditions.

There is plenty of action on the court to keep us entertained but it can be easy to forget the impact that tennis can have on families in the present day, let alone across generations.

Ruaridh Nicoll has a beautiful tale to tell about his grandmother Esna Boyd’s induction into Australia’s tennis hall of fame and learning more about the trailblazer that inspired women across the world. The words are well worth your time, but the old images will take you back to another age.

It’s been an odd experience. Esna died in 1966 so has always been an ethereal presence – a long-skirted woman with Princess Leia buns in an ageing photograph who my mother would chide me with when asking why I was so terrible at sport.

Alex Michelsen and Karen Khachanov (19) can’t be separated early with both holding serve so far. Khachanov is tossing the balls in the air now while the American leads the first set 4-3.

Jack Draper will face Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16 after his trio of five-set victories have shaken off any doubts around his fitness and physicality. Tumaini Carayol spoke to the British No 1 after his latest five-setter finished just before 1am local time.

I still have a long way to go, but this is a huge drive forward, the fact that I’ve come through three five-set matches, mentally and physically, it doesn’t happen often. That’s a testament to the work I’ve done and the place I’m in. So very, very proud of that.

In another piece of clever scheduling – the organisers are on a bit of a roll in nailing their late-night match-ups – Jack Draper pulled off another five-set triumph against a local hope. Aleksandar Vukic would have gained plenty of new fans as the late bloomer pushed the 15th seed all the way across three hours, 58 minutes, before a heartbreaking 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) defeat.

I left it all out there. Jack’s an incredible competitor who I have a lot of respect for. Unfortunately, one of us had to win.

A quick catch up the women’s singles on day six when defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka, was challenged by Clara Tauson before eventually coming away unscathed with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory.

But there was heartbreak for comeback queen and two-time champion Naomi Osaka retired during the third-round match against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic after dropping the first set in a tie-break.

Emma Raducanu is yet to beat Iga Swiatek, or even take a set from the world No 2, in their previous three meetings. But she can take some solace from only one of those matches being played on hard-court when the Brit was at least somewhat competitive in defeat back in 2023.

Tumaini Carayol is at Melbourne Park and spoke to Raducanu about what has gone wrong in her past clashes with Swiatek, and how she can turn it around this time.

I really relish [big occasions]. I love the big ­stadiums, the big matches. It’s something that I just really enjoy doing. And it’s so nice to also just go a round further than I did in the last three years that I played here. Australia is somewhere where I really like playing. I like the conditions, I like the crowd and the support here has been amazing, with a lot of union jacks in the crowd as well, which is great. It’s a match that I’m looking forward to.

The first match of note this morning is about to start on John Cain Arena where Alex Michelsen is facing 19th seed Karen Khachanov (19).

The big-serving American is searching for another big scalp after beating 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the opening round, while also hoping to reach the fourth round in a grand slam for the first time. It could be the first of many for the 20-year-old.

Khachanov will be no pushover and he enjoys the hardcourts of Melbourne Park, reaching at least the third round here for seven consecutive years including a run to the last four in 2023.

The winner could be meeting a certain Alex de Minaur in the round of 16, though Francisco Cerundolo might have something to say about that.

Now for the weather. The sun is belting down at Melbourne Park with temperatures already at 22 degrees and expected to hit a high of 29. Ideal conditions for a cracking day of tennis.

Preamble