- Olympic push for kho kho, India's ancient tag sport
- Dangerous Fritz sets up Monfils clash at Australian Open
- AFP photographer's search for his mother in the Nazi camps
- Life after the unthinkable: Shoah survivors who began again in Israel
- Israeli cabinet to vote on Gaza ceasefire deal
- Jabeur finds it 'hard to breathe' as asthma flares up in Melbourne
- Swiatek powers on as Sinner, Medevedev top men's Melbourne bill
- Nintendo rumour mill in overdrive over new Switch
- Biden warns of Trump 'oligarchy' in dark farewell speech
- Superb Swiatek sets up Raducanu showdown at Australian Open
- Asian stocks follow Wall St higher on welcome US inflation data
- Toyota arm Hino makes deal to settle emission fraud case
- Fire-wrecked Los Angeles gets a break as winds drop
- Superb Swiatek races into third round at Australian Open
- Biden warns of dangerous 'oligarchy' in dark farewell speech
- Herbicide under US scrutiny over potential Parkinson's link
- South Korea's Yoon to avoid fresh questioning after dramatic arrest
- Behind the Gaza deal: a US odd couple and last-minute snags
- Noisy racket on Australian Open 'party court' forces match move
- AFP strikes deal for France's Mistral AI to use news articles
- 'Sensational' Arsenal back in title race: Arteta
- Survivors count the mental cost of Los Angeles fires
- Arsenal reignite Premier League title charge as Isak stars again
- Thousands across Gaza celebrate ceasefire deal
- Postecoglou slams 'nowhere near good enough' Spurs after Arsenal defeat
- Moyes 'under no illusions' after defeat on Everton return
- Arsenal reignite Premier League title hopes as Isak stars again
- Yamal drives dominant Barca past Betis into Copa del Rey quarters
- Arsenal fightback sinks Spurs to ignite title bid
- Qatar, US announce Gaza truce, hostage release deal
- US consumer inflation rises in December but underlying pressures ease
- McGregor accused of sexual assault in civil suit
- Inter's title defence slowed by draw with spirited Bologna
- Isak fires Newcastle into Premier League top four, Moyes misery
- Sane hits brace as Bayern thump Hoffenheim
- Aston Villa ruin Moyes' Everton return
- Norman replaced as CEO of LIV Golf
- SpaceX delays latest Starship megarocket test to Thursday
- Quake-stricken Vanuatu heads to polls in snap election
- Qatar, US announce Gaza truce, hostage release deal agreed
- Galaxy sign Zanka from Anderlecht
- Police probe abuse of Havertz's wife after Arsenal star's woes
- Drake files defamation suit against Universal over Kendrick Lamar track
- Qatar PM says Gaza truce, hostage release deal agreed
- US firms concerned about Trump tariff, immigration plans: Fed
- Yellen warns against extending Trump's first-term US tax cuts
- Biden hails Gaza deal, says worked with Trump
- US Supreme Court weighs Texas age-check for porn sites
- Brad Pitt isn't messaging you, rep warns, after adoring fan scammed
- Trump's Energy Dept pick wants to develop renewables... and fossil fuels
Superb Swiatek sets up Raducanu showdown at Australian Open
World number two Iga Swiatek romped into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday to set up a high-profile clash with 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
While Poland's Swiatek was racing past world number 49 Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena, Britain's Raducanu was entering uncharted waters on the nearby Kia Arena.
Raducanu had reached the second round in Melbourne on three previous occasions but never advanced further.
She was forced to battle in a topsy-turvy match against her good friend Amanda Anisimova, both players exchanging multiple breaks before she came through 6-3, 7-5.
On Melbourne Park's centre court, Swiatek broke the Slovakian's opening service game and never looked back.
Sramkova was playing in a Grand Slam second round for the first time and had no answer to the precision and power of the Pole.
Swiatek won 64 percent of points off the Slovakian's first serve in an opening set that lasted 27 minutes, the Pole dropping just 10 points.
Sramkova finally got on the board in the eighth game of the match, to huge cheers from the a sympathetic crowd.
But Swiatek remained in control, closing out a comprehensive victory after exactly one hour.
"I felt really solid today and it was a really efficient game," said Swiatek. "I'm happy that I kept my focus."
- 'Nothing to lose' -
Raducanu said she was looking forward to the challenge of playing against Swiatek.
"It will be a very good match for me," she said of facing the five-time Grand Slam champion.
Raducanu, now ranked 61, missed a large part of the 2023 season following wrist and ankle surgery, and was then sidelined for two months by a foot injury.
She pulled out of her Australian Open warm-up event in Auckland with a back niggle and needed an injury timeout for a tight leg muscle when 3-0 down in the second set against Anisimova.
"Every match I can play against these top opponents, I'm loving it," she added.
"It's an opportunity to test my game, see where I'm at," she said.
"I have nothing to lose, I'm just going to swing and give it my best."
Swiatek, who lost her top ranking to defending champion Aryna Sabalenka last season after a one-month doping ban, has a poor record in Melbourne by her lofty standards.
She has only once progressed beyond the fourth round, in 2022, when she lost in the semi-finals.
Swiatek now has Naomi Osaka's former coach Wim Fissette in her corner after hooking up with the Belgian towards the end of last year.
He has installed a hitting partner for Swiatek as she aims to improve her record in Australia, and she said the partnership was working well.
"He's been great," said Swiatek. "I feel like he's really supportive.
"And you know being on the women's tour, I think it's not easy especially when most of the coaches are men. They also need to understand what we go through sometimes.
"I feel like Wim is doing that very well."
P.M.Smith--AMWN