Iga Świątek silenced any sceptics about her grass court abilities with a decisive first-round victory at Wimbledon. The Polish tennis player triumphed over former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, winning 6-3, 6-4.
Historically, Wimbledon has posed challenges for Świątek. Despite winning the junior title in 2018, she has only reached the quarterfinals in the senior competition. This year, she faced a daunting draw right from the start, going up against the experienced Kenin.
The match began with some initial uncertainty for Świątek as she played her first games of the year on grass. Despite early nerves, she quickly established a 2-1 lead and extended it steadily. Her deep returns were particularly effective, restricting Kenin to just two successful service games in the first set.
The second set saw a tighter contest, with both players showcasing strong serves. Świątek faced her first service challenge while trailing 2-3 but managed to hold serve and then broke Kenin to take a 4-3 lead. Kenin had chances to break back, leading 40-30 in the subsequent game, but critical errors at key moments—hitting shots wide or into the net—proved costly.
Capitalizing on this, Świątek closed out the set and the match with a commanding service game, featuring two aces, to secure a 6-4 victory.
Iga starts her Championships in style 👏#Wimbledon | @iga_swiatek pic.twitter.com/GAMIMvAoh6
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2024
Next, Świątek will face Petra Martić of Croatia, who moved to the second round after defeating Britain’s Francesca Jones 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
🇵🇱 Iga Świątek – Petra Martić w drugiej rundzie! Chorwatka pokonała Franceskę Jones 3:6, 6:1, 6:2.
— Z kortu – informacje tenisowe | Tennis news (@z_kortu) July 2, 2024
🇬🇧 Iga Świątek – Petra Martić in the R2! Petra beats Francesca Jones 3:6, 6:1, 6:2.
📸 Jimmie48 Photography | WTA | #Wimbledon | #czasnatenis pic.twitter.com/aE5Hu22JI3