Iga Świątek’s 2026 Australian Open mindset remains refreshingly simple. The second seed began her latest Melbourne campaign, insisting she has not studied the draw or mapped a path to the trophy. Still chasing the crown that would complete her career Grand Slam, the Pole arrived with form that has flickered rather than flowed, and a shaky opening-round win confirmed she knows refinement is required to go all the way.

Świątek, a six-time major winner, began her Australian Open campaign with a tough first-round test. She struggled early against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue on Rod Laver Arena. Despite the pressure, the second seed recovered to win 7-6(5), 6-3 and move into the second round.

Yuan played fearless tennis from the opening point. The world No.130 hammered groundstrokes with confidence. She broke serve in the first game and quickly built a 2-0 lead. It was clear early that this would not be a comfortable night for the favourite.

Swiatek found herself under pressure throughout the first set. She trailed 5-3 after Yuan broke serve again. The Pole struggled with her serve and timing. She committed 34 unforced errors as the set wore on. Her rhythm was clearly missing.

After the match, Swiatek admitted her slow start. “For sure I was a bit rusty at the beginning, didn’t really start well,” Swiatek admitted afterwards. “I knew if I put the hard work in I would start to play better, so that’s what I tried to do from the middle of the first set. I’m happy that it worked. Many ups and downs, and I have some stuff to work on.”

Yuan served for the set at 5-4. That was the turning point. Swiatek raised her level and made smarter decisions. She chose her moments to attack. On break point, she struck a stunning backhand winner to level the set at 5-5.

The momentum shifted into the tiebreak. Swiatek stayed calm under pressure. She pulled clear from 4-4 and sealed the breaker 7-5. Relief followed as she finally gained control after a nervy opening hour.

The second set started very differently. Swiatek broke serve twice and raced to a 3-0 lead. The four-time Roland Garros champion looked sharper. Her movement improved. Her shot selection became clearer and more decisive.

Yuan refused to fade away. Despite receiving treatment for a back issue, she continued to fight. Aggressive returning kept Swiatek honest. The middle part of the second set stayed tight as Yuan held serve and pushed every game.

Swiatek reflected honestly on the challenge. “I started a bit tight so I needed to get my legs moving and go after my shots … I needed to react a bit quicker and not be pushed back,” she said. “It wasn’t perfect, but I’m happy because it’s hard to win matches when everything isn’t going well.”

In the end, class told. Swiatek pulled away late and crossed the line after exactly two hours. She now faces Marie Bouzkova next. Still chasing a maiden Australian Open title, her Melbourne journey already looks demanding from the very start.

Iga Świątek avoided studying the tough Australian Open draw before the opening round

Before entering the Australian Open main draw, Iga Świątek showed mixed form. She won her first three matches at the United Cup. Then she suffered back-to-back defeats to Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic. Those losses highlighted that work remains as the season’s first major unfolds.

Despite that, Świątek kept her approach simple. Even before facing Yuan Yue on Rod Laver Arena, she avoided thinking ahead. Unusually, she refused to look at the draw. She preferred to focus only on the match in front of her.

Her honesty surprised reporters. “I’m not looking at the draw, so thanks for the heads up,” Swiatek told reporters, to their disbelief. She doubled down immediately. “No, it’s not a joke, I’m literally not doing that. So please don’t spoil it for me, I want to be surprised after every match.”

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When pressed further, she stayed firm. The six-time Grand Slam champion made her position clear. “No, because I didn’t know [the draw]. That’s it. I think you guys are thinking more about it.” Her focus remained firmly on the present.

Next comes Marie Bouzkova in the second round on January 21. Świątek leads their H2H 2-0. A win would move her deeper into the tournament. It would also begin to raise the level of difficulty.

The projected third-round test could be 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya. Beyond that, the challenge increases sharply. The margins narrow. The pressure rises with every round.

A potential fourth-round clash with two-time champion Naomi Osaka looms. That could be followed by a quarter-final against 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina. The path, on paper, is demanding and unforgiving.

If Świątek reaches the semi-finals, another tough hurdle may await. Fourth seed Amanda Anisimova could stand in her way. Anisimova defeated her at last year’s US Open.

Beyond that lies the ultimate test. A maiden Australian Open final could mean facing Coco Gauff or top seed Aryna Sabalenka. 

And as Świątek moves forward one match at a time, the question remains whether she can dig deep and finally conquer Melbourne.