Australian Open 2025: How Emma Raducanu can attempt to cause a shock against Iga Swiatek
Swiatek has struggled against aggressive baseline players like Raducanu on several occasions over the past year, especially when she withdrew from the Australian Open 12 months ago.
Czech Linda Noskova, then 19, built up her strength and was rewarded with a three-set comeback win.
Later, Swiatek said she felt “stressed” and “uncomfortable” about not being able to adapt.
However, she seemed to have learned from the experience.
Wins against Japan’s four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka at Roland Garros and Britain’s Katie Boult at the recent Fed Cup show she’s made progress in addressing such player issues.
In both matches, Swiatek initially tried to match her opponent’s pace, but the increased speed of her shots resulted in a series of unforced errors.
Once she stopped trying to beat them and hit crazier returns instead of flatter returns, every game went her way.
Still, you might think Raducanu would need to attack from the baseline rather than simply counterattack to give himself a chance.
