Top-ranked Swiatek escapes with a narrow win over 2022 runner-up Collins at Australian Open

Iga Swiatek stages a comeback to win against Collins in a thrilling match at the Australian Open.

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek rallied from 4-1 down in the third set to escape with a narrow 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over 2022 runner-up Collins on January 18 and advance to the third round of the Australian Open.

In a mometum-swinging match, Swiatek was on top after recovering an early break and leading by a set and a break before the American player rallied to take the second set and race to a 4-1 lead with two service breaks in the third.

Swiatek absorbed the sustained pressure from Collins’ powerful groundstrokes until she reversed the momentum on a match-winning five-game roll.

“Oh my God. I don’t even know,” Swiatek said of how she managed to come back. "Honestly, I was on the airport already. But I wanted to fight to the end.

"I’m really proud of myself, because it wasn’t easy."

Swiatek had two match points at 15-40 in the last game but again Collins rallied, saving those and getting a game point with a trademark forehand winner deep to Swiatek’s backhand side.

But a forehand long and a backhand wide from Collins gave Swiatek a third match point and she made no mistake this time, finishing in 3 hours and 14 minutes with a deep backhand down the line.