Swiatek, 22, has emerged because the WTA Tour’s dominant participant previously two years, main the world rankings for many of that point and including three extra majors to her tally.
Three of her 4 Grand Slam triumphs have come on the French Open clay, with the opposite on the US Open onerous courts, however her try so as to add the Australian Open title this 12 months has been difficult by a tricky draw.
After beating 2020 champion Sofia Kenin within the first spherical, she confronted one other stern check towards the uncompromising Collins, a finalist at Melbourne Park in 2022.
The American has dropped to 62nd on the planet however introduced her greatest recreation to unsettle Swiatek together with her energy.
Utilizing her devastating backhand to nice impact, Collins seemed set to inflict Swiatek’s earliest exit at a Grand Slam for the reason that 2019 US Open.
Nevertheless, Collins was unable to maintain her nerve because the stress of the ending line approaching overwhelmed her.
Wanting tight, she misplaced serve for 4-2, couldn’t convert three break factors the subsequent recreation and misplaced her serve once more as Swiatek turned the deficit right into a 5-4 benefit.
Swiatek held two match factors at 15-40 – lacking one with a volley into the online and the opposite with a backhand from the baseline – however was given a 3rd alternative when Collins dragged a cross-court backhand manner extensive.
This time she took it. Scrambling to succeed in a dropshot after an extended rally, she pushed a backhand down the road and celebrated extending her profitable streak to 18 matches.
Afterwards, 30-year-old Collins revealed she intends for this season to be the ultimate considered one of her profession.
“I am form of on the finish of my profession they usually [defeats] do not sting fairly as a lot, to be sincere,” she stated.
“I do not actually know precisely when, however this will probably be my final season and I am actually trying ahead to that.”
Swiatek will face 19-year-old Linda Noskova within the third spherical, after the Czech beat American McCartney Kessler 6-3 1-6 6-4.
Elsewhere on Thursday, former US Open champion Sloane Stephens knocked out Russian 14th seed Daria Kasatkina with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory, whereas fellow American Emma Navarro beat Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto by the identical scoreline.
Ukrainian nineteenth seed Elina Svitolina wanted simply 65 minutes to wrap up a 6-1 6-3 win over Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova.
Australian hope Ajla Tomljanovic took eleventh seed Jelena Ostapenko to a deciding set, however the Latvian prevailed 6-0 3-6 6-4.