- Palestinians welcome ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials
- Senegal ruling party wins parliamentary majority: provisional results
- Fiji's Loganimasi in for banned Radradra against Ireland
- New proposal awaited in Baku on climate finance deal
- Brazil police urge Bolsonaro's indictment for 2022 'coup' plot
- NFL issues security alert to teams about home burglaries
- Common water disinfectant creates potentially toxic byproduct: study
- Chimps are upping their tool game, says study
- US actor Smollett's conviction for staged attack overturned
- Fears rise of gender setbacks in global climate battle
- 'World's best coach' Gatland 'won't leave Wales' - Howley
- Indian PM Modi highlights interest in Guyana's oil
- Israel strikes kill 22 in Lebanon as Hezbollah targets south Israel
- Argentina lead Davis Cup holders Italy
- West Bank city buries three Palestinians killed in Israeli raids
- Fairuz, musical icon of war-torn Lebanon, turns 90
- Jones says Scotland need to beat Australia 'to be taken seriously'
- Stock markets push higher but Ukraine tensions urge caution
- IMF sees 'limited' impact of floods on Spain GDP growth
- Fresh Iran censure looms large over UN nuclear meeting
- Volkswagen workers head towards strikes from December
- 'More cautious' Dupont covers up in heavy Parisian snow before Argentina Test
- UK sanctions Angola's Isabel dos Santos in graft crackdown
- Sales of existing US homes rise in October
- Crunch time: What still needs to be hammered out at COP29?
- Minister among 12 held over Serbia station collapse
- Spurs boss Postecoglou hails 'outstanding' Bentancur despite Son slur
- South Sudan rejects 'malicious' report on Kiir family businesses
- Kyiv claims 'crazy' Russia fired nuke-capable missile
- Australia defeat USA to reach Davis Cup semis
- Spain holds 1st talks with Palestinian govt since recognising state
- Stock markets waver as Nvidia, Ukraine tensions urge caution
- Returning Vonn targets St Moritz World Cup races
- Ramos nears PSG return as Sampaoli makes Rennes bow
- Farrell hands Prendergast first Ireland start for Fiji Test
- Gaza strikes kill dozens as ICC issues Netanyahu arrest warrant
- Famed Berlin theatre says cuts will sink it
- Stuttgart's Undav set to miss rest of year with hamstring injury
- Cane, Perenara to make All Blacks farewells against Italy
- Kenya scraps Adani deals as Ruto attempts to reset presidency
- French YouTuber takes on manga after conquering Everest
- Special reunion in store for France's Flament against 'hot-blooded' Argentina
- 'World of Warcraft' still going strong as it celebrates 20 years
- Fritz pulls USA level with Australia in Davis Cup quarters
- New Iran censure looms large over UN nuclear meeting
- The first 'zoomed-in' image of a star outside our galaxy
- ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, Deif
- Minister among 11 held over Serbia station collapse
- Historic gold regalia returned to Ghana's king
- Kyiv accuses Russia of launching intercontinental ballistic missile attack
Swiatek battles into Open fourth round with gutsy win
A pumped-up Iga Swiatek burnished her Australian Open credentials with a hard-fought straight-sets win over in-form Daria Kasatkina Saturday to battle into the fourth round.
The Polish seventh seed, who won the 2020 French Open as a 19-year-old, needed 94 minutes to dismantle the 25th-ranked Russian 6-2, 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena.
But it was an impressive performance of power and precision from Swiatek against a player who opened her season with back-to-back semi-finals in Melbourne and Sydney.
Swiatek, who won titles in Adelaide and Rome last year, will next play either 10th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or unseeded Romanian Sorana Cirstea for the berth in the quarter-finals.
"The match was really intense," said the Pole, who admitted she was "pumped-up" by the win.
"It was hard to run for every ball and finish Daria. She plays really cool top spin ... I tried to play my balls low so she couldn't play her top spin, but it was hard.
"At the end all that mattered was who was going to put that last ball over the net because the rallies were pretty long," she added.
Swiatek and Kasatkina played once last year, in the round of 16 at Eastbourne, and it was the Russian who prevailed in three sets.
But Swiatek always looked on top at Melbourne Park.
She pounced first in game four, applying pressure to work three break points and converted when the Russian slapped a forehand long.
Both players were returning well and long rallies ensued but Swiatek repelled Kasatkina's baseline threat to hold on and broke again as the Russian served to stay in the set.
Seemingly in control, Swiatek fired an unplayable forehand return to break for 2-0 in the second set, but Kasatkina refused to go quietly and broke straight back.
Every game became a dogfight until the Pole ground her the Russian for another break in game six and completed the win.
mp/dh
J.Fankhauser--BTB