Swiatek and Gauff through as Konta crashes out

Teen stars >a href=”https://www.tennismajors.com/our-features/lists-our-features/ten-things-you-should-know-about-iga-swiatek-296677.html”>Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff earned Adelaide International victories on Tuesday, but third seed Johanna Konta is out.

French Open champion Swiatek secured a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Madison Brengle to set up a last-16 match against home favourite Maddison Inglis, who beat veteran Sam Stosur in a three-set epic.

“Inside I’m the same person, but I realise that everybody’s kind of treating me differently,” Swiatek said after the win, as she reflected on the attention she now receives as a Grand Slam champion. So it’s something you have to adjust to, and also keep yourself down to earth and the same as you were. We did a great job last year and hopefully this season will also be successful.

“Tennis-wise it also changes – I’m not an underdog anymore, so I start my matches with a different attitude, and that’s the kind of thing you have to learn to do. Madison is the kind of player who uses her opponent’s power, so I had to stay cool. I tried to calm myself down, stay low in the legs, and sometimes play longer rallies to get in the rhythm, because the first round is always tough at any tournament.”

 (@iga_swiatek) February 23, 2021

Gauff also progressed, saving eight of the 11 break points she faced to defeat Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 in a match lasting over two-and-a-half hours. A tough test against Petra Martic is up next for Gauff in the last 16 after the Croatian sixth seed recovered from a set down to win against qualifier Ludmilla Samsonova.

Gauff’s fellow American Shelby Rogers is the first player to reach the quarter-finals. Konta had a bye in the opening round and had no answers for Rogers as she played her first match of the WTA 500 tournament. Rogers won 6-2, 6-2 in just 76 minutes, never dropping serve in the contest.