Iga Swiatek has endorsed the revolutionary new on-court coaching group at the Australian Open, even without needing it during the third round to the last 16 at Melbourne Park.
The world No. 2 maintained her perfect record against Emma Raducanu with a straight-sets demolition of the British 2021 US Open champion on Saturday.
Swiatek, a five-time major winner, has yet to lose a set this campaign, advancing with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 victory on Rod Laver Arena.
So it was no surprise to learn that the Pole didn't need any pep talk on the pitch on Saturday, and still gave the thumbs up to the innovation.
“I'm not getting a lot of training right now, but I'm sure in the next few games there will be times when I'll need it,” Swiatek said.
And it's nice to have someone to remind you of anything; There's usually not much point in thinking about it too much.
Iga Swiatek has endorsed the revolutionary new on-court training pods at the Australian Open
At this year's tournament, coaches can sit directly on the court, just a few meters from the playing surface.
'It's fantastic that the Australian Open has thought of this idea. “It's also interesting for television to have the coaches so close.”
It comes after defending champion Aryna Sabalenka attacked the pods last week, saying she was “not a fan”.
Many tennis fans have also criticized the new innovation, insisting that they ruin the sport.
Swiatek has a chance to regain the top spot in the world rankings if she wins the title, and she looked a notch higher by posting 24 winners, losing just four points on serve and converting five of her dozen break points.
The second seed received a time violation for delaying the start of the match, but pleaded not guilty, arguing that she was waiting for the towels to be delivered.
It was the only minor obstacle for the 23-year-old, who held serve to love in the first game and reeled off another 11 games in a row to convincingly seal the match.
Swiatek, whose only loss so far this year was a United Cup loss to the still undefeated Coco Gauff, will be a heavy favorite in the fourth round against Germany's Eva Lys.
Ranked 128th in the world, Lys is the first 'lucky loser' to reach the fourth round of women's singles since the Open moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.
Not everyone at the Open is a fan of the new pods, and Aryna Sabalena took aim at them last week.
Swiatek has been playing excellent tennis at the Australian Open
The 23-year-old, who lost to local Destanee Aiava in qualifying, served brilliantly in the final set to close out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over 82nd-ranked Romanian Jaqueline Christian.
Ninth seed Daria Kasatkina also advanced, beating Yulia Putintseva 7-5 6-1, and will face eighth seed Emma Navarro in a huge fourth-round clash.
Navarro got there the hard way, holding off a comeback from former Tunisian world No. 2 Ons Jabeur to advance 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
2023 Open runner-up Elena Rybakina, seeded sixth, overcame a lower back ailment that led to a medical timeout early in a painful, hard-earned 6-3, 6-4 victory over semifinalist 2024, Dayana Yastremska.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion needed seven match points and is doubtful to continue in the tournament, requiring some medical “magic” to be ready for the next round.
“It wasn't easy,” Rybakina said.
“I knew it would be very difficult for me to stay in the rallies for a long time and I was trying to play aggressively, sometimes risking a little more, very happy that in the end everything turned out the way I wanted.”
“Hopefully I'll see my physical therapist and he'll do some magic.”
Rybakina will next face newly crowned Adelaide International champion Madison Keys.
Swiatek, whose only loss so far this year was a United Cup loss to the still undefeated Coco Gauff, will be a heavy favorite in the fourth round against Germany's Eva Lys.
The 19th seed defeated her compatriot and 10th seed Danielle Collins, who was booed and booed throughout the match, 6-4, 6-4.
Collins had earned the ire of the locals after intense exchanges during and after her second round victory over Melburnian Destanee Aiava.
Italian Jasmine Paolini, fourth seed and finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon last year, fell 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 to an inspired Elina Svitolina.
Svitolina's victory came hours after her veteran husband Gael Monfils defeated men's world number 4 Taylor Fritz.
The Ukrainian will play Veronika Kudermetova next after the Russian defeated 15th-ranked Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-4, 6-2.