Melbourne, Jan 26 : World No. 2 Iga Swiatek defeated qualifier Maddison Inglis on Monday and reached her 14th career Grand Slam quarterfinal and third at the Australian Open. The second seed dropped just three games in her  6-0, 6-3 win.

This was the first time that Swiatek has played an Aussie at the Australian Open. She has faced Inglis on her home turf before, though, winning 6-1, 6-2 in the 2021 Adelaide second round en route to her first hard-court title.

Swiatek broke serve to claim the opening set 6-0, delivering a dominant performance on Rod Laver Arena. Despite Inglis showing flashes of resistance with powerful serves and winning some early points, the second-seed Pole's baseline power proved overwhelming.

The game featured several extended rallies, including an 11-shot exchange where Swiatek's aggressive groundstrokes forced Inglis into errors. Inglis fought hard, winning spectacular points through effective serving and court positioning, but Swiatek's clinical shot-making shone through at crucial moments. The Polish star sealed the set with a spectacular backhand overhead winner from a defensive position, showcasing her exceptional athleticism.

Serving for the match for the second time, the second seed dropped no points in a dominant display. She constructed each point efficiently, finishing with aggressive forehands. After losing the opening set 6-0, Inglis showed tremendous fighting spirit in the second set but ultimately couldn't overcome Swiatek's superior power and consistency. Swiatek holds serve to love, clinching the second set 6-3 and winning the match in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Swiatek set up a quarterfinal clash against No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina. Swiatek leads their head-to-head 6-5, but Rybakina won their only previous Australian Open meeting 6-4, 6-4 in the 2023 fourth round.

A six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, who has won the French Open four times, plus Wimbledon and the US Open once each, is just three wins away from completing a career Grand Slam.

/IANS