Swiatek overpowers Pliskova to reach third round

Iga Swiatek continued her Wimbledon title defence by overpowering former finalist Karolina Pliskova in a commanding straight-set victory to reach the third round.

The Polish world number three cried on court after battling to a three-set win over Taylor Townsend in her opening match on Tuesday, having found opening play on Centre Court as the reigning champion "really emotional".

Far more relaxed on her return to action two days later, there was an entirely different feel to this performance as the 25-year-old made a blistering start against 2021 runner-up Pliskova.

"I'm feeling more stable today - and that's good," Swiatek told the crowd after her 6-1 6-3 victory.

"The first round was really emotional for sure, but today I felt like it was another day in the office and I needed to be ready, be in charge and make good decisions.

"It is always better when you're able to think like that and it was a good day for me. I was consistent and I had a good level of focus, so I'm really happy with my performance."

Swiatek, a six-time major winner, lost just one of the first 17 points in the match as she proceeded to dismantle the Czech, racing into a four-game lead.

She struggled on serve in the fifth game, recording two double faults to allow Pliskova to retrieve one break back, but immediately reset to capture the first set in just 25 minutes after winning 26 of the 35 points played.

Swiatek would continue to dominate what had appeared a potentially tricky second-round match-up against a former world number one, although the 34-year-old Pliskova remains on the comeback trail after missing most of the 2025 season recovering from ankle surgery.

Pliskova managed a response in set two, breaking for a 2-0 lead as Swiatek's level once again dropped on serve - but the Czech was unable to consolidate, double-faulting on break point in the following game.

Another costly double fault two games later gifted another break to Swiatek, who by that point had rediscovered her first-set level and completed victory in just 69 minutes by winning six of the final seven games.

After 18-time major winner Martina Navratilova graded her performance an A+, Swiatek responded: "When legends like that say nice things about you, it means a lot. It is basically why you try to be the best tennis player possible, so that people appreciate it.

"I don't know if it was an A+ because at times it was a tricky game. I felt like I played so many dirty shots in that final game especially, I wasn't able to control them that much. So maybe not A+, more like B, I would say."

Victory extended Swiatek's record of not losing before the third round at a Grand Slam since the 2019 US Open, and she remains the only woman to have reached the third round at all 26 Grand Slam events held this decade.

However, she lost at that stage of this year's French Open - the tournament where she had won four titles in the previous six years - and will now seek to avoid the same fate against Alexandra Eala, of the Philippines.