Iga Swiatek is still in the running for a career Grand Slam after surviving a difficult third-round match against Anna Kalinskaya at the Australian Open 2026 on Saturday night.
The second seed was momentarily down, serving in, dropping out the second set, but rallied to clinch a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 victory in 1 hour, 44 minutes at Margaret Court Arena. Iga Swiatek is trying to become the third-youngest woman in history to have completed a career Grand Slam title, along with tennis legends Serena Williams and Stefanie Graf.
A Match of Momentum Shifts
The match started out with Iga Swiatek commanding. Under the closed roof, she quickly tied the score 30-love and dominated the rallies, capitalizing on Anna Kalinskaya’s unforced errors. The 24-year-old Polish star flew through the first set, taking it when Anna Kalinskaya netted a backhand return.
However, the dynamic changed radically in the second set. After a medical time out for an apparent lower-back problem, Anna Kalinskaya came back on court with a vengeance. Unleashing powerful, level groundstrokes, the 31st seed cracked Iga Swiatek’s serve and began to take command of the play.
Despite Iga Swiatek breaking back for a brief time, Anna Kalinskaya kept her head and eventually broke to love the world No. 2 and closed out the set with a string of immovable winners.
“I know that Anna can play amazing tennis,” Iga Swiatek reflected on the match afterwards. “She’s risking a lot, so at the same time, she might even start playing out, so I just wanted to be there… to still be proactive and put pressure on her.”
Regaining Control by the Decider
Facing a deciding set, Iga Swiatek refocused and found her dominance. She punished Anna Kalinskaya back to 5 with flawless shot-making, flunking him twice, including a stunning backhand down the line. While Anna Kalinskaya managed to hold serve once to stay in the match, the deficit was too big to overcome.
The victory was sealed on Iga Swiatek’s second match point with a precision shot of her forehand clipped the line – a shot so accurate it required a video review to confirm.
Looking ahead, Iga Swiatek will have to challenge Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis in the fourth round. Inglis moved through by walkover following the withdrawal of Naomi Osaka. Iga Swiatek will be looking to continue the high first serve percentage as the third set, she found as she continues her campaign in Melbourne.
Saurabh is a passionate tennis content writer and lifelong fan of the game. Whether it’s Grand Slam showdowns or under-the-radar rising stars, Saurabh brings the court to life with sharp analysis, breaking news, and deep-dive features. When they aren’t covering matches, you can find them practicing their topspin forehand or debating who is the GOAT over coffee. Do you enjoy tennis? Then you are in the right place.
