A visibly emotional Iga Swiatek has brushed aside an unspecified ailment to defeat Australia’s Maya Joint 6-1, 6-1, giving Team Poland a 1-0 lead in their United Cup quarter final.
Swiatek powered past Joint in under an hour, refusing to give the teenager a look-in as she maintained a relentless stranglehold on the contest.
While both players held firm through the opening exchanges of the first singles rubber, Swiatek’s relentless pressure paid off in the third game as she clinched the initial break of serve.
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A visibly emotional Iga Swiatek wipes away tears. Nine
However, the momentum was quickly overshadowed during the subsequent changeover, as a visibly emotional Swiatek was seen wiping away tears, seemingly struggling with an unspecified physical or mental distress.
“I saw Wim [Fissette] in the tunnel, Iga’s coach, just before they came out, and there was no sign of stress on his face or, you know, any word from him that something was off,” courtside reporter Laura Robson told Nine.
Fellow commentator Sam Smith noted the unsettling scene, adding: “You can see on the monitor that she’s very emotional”.
Despite the mid-set scare, Swiatek quickly found another gear, racing through the remainder of the set.
The Aussie tennis summer kicks off with the 2026 United Cup from Friday, January 2. Watch it live and free on Nine and 9Now.
The world No.2 claimed the first set 6-1, closing it out in 27 minutes.
Joint secured a crucial hold in her opening service game of the second set, recovering from 0-40 as Swiatek threatened to pull away.
But Swiatek soon surged ahead, securing the break in the fourth game before comfortably consolidating her lead.
The 24-year-old maintained her charge, taking the second set 6-1 to complete a dominant straight-sets win.
Next up, Alex de Minaur faces a high-pressure showdown against Hubert Hurkacz in a must-win clash to keep Australia’s United Cup hopes alive.