Świątek Beats Yuan in Australian Open First Round

MELBOURNE, Australia — World No. 1 Iga Świątek survived a stern test from Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue to launch her Australian Open campaign with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory on Monday night at Rod Laver Arena.

The six-time Grand Slam champion, seeking her first title in Melbourne to complete a career Grand Slam, endured a rusty start against the 130th-ranked Yuan, who arrived after winning three qualifying matches last week. Yuan wasted no time, breaking Świątek's serve in the opening game and building a 2-0 lead with aggressive groundstrokes and fearless returning. The underdog extended her advantage to 5-3 in the first set, prompting visible frustration from the Polish player, who racked up 34 unforced errors amid timing issues and a shaky serve.

Świątek, a four-time French Open winner with titles at the US Open and Wimbledon, trailed throughout much of the set but mounted a comeback when it mattered most. Serving for the set at 5-4, Yuan faced a resurgent Świątek, who leveled at 5-5 with a stunning backhand winner on break point. The momentum swung decisively in the tiebreak, where Świątek's backhand proved clutch, firing winners to pull ahead from 4-4 and claim the set 7-5.