INDIAN WELLS, California (AP) — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek moved on at the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over power-hitting Danielle Collins on Friday.
Swiatek improved to 15-2 this season and earned her fifth straight win over the 30-year-old American, who previously announced that she intends to retire after the season.
The two met in January in the second round of the Australian Open, with Swiatek winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
This one was much easier.
Swiatek, a four-time major champion, won 71.1 per cent of her first-serve points, compared to Collins’ 50 per cent. Collins did herself no favours with unforced errors and seven double-faults.
Swiatek now faces either Linda Noskova or Camila Giorgi, who were playing later Friday night. Swiatek lost in the third round at Melbourne Park to the 19-year-old Noskova.
In other women’s action, Angelique Kerber battled back to beat Jelena Ostapenko 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a matchup of former Grand Slam champions. It was similar to Kerber’s three-set win in Cincinnati in 2021 before she became a mother and returned to action this year.
Kerber, who reached the Indian Wells final in 2019, is a three-time Grand Slam titlist.
On the men’s side, Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Thanasi Kokkinakis to extend his winning streak to 16 matches. The third-ranked Sinner won 74.5 per cent of his service points to run his all-time record against Kokkinakis to 4-0.
Andrey Rublev defeated Andy Murray 7-6 (3), 6-1, while Alejandro Tabilo, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur also won in straight sets.
