The tournament’s second seed needed just 73 minutes to dispatch the Australian qualifier 6-0, 6-3 in a one-sided contest that underlined her growing authority in Melbourne.
The tournament’s second seed needed just 73 minutes to dispatch the Australian qualifier 6-0, 6-3 in a one-sided contest that underlined her growing authority in Melbourne.
Swiatek struck 22 winners and converted five of her six break points, extending her remarkable record at Grand Slam events. The opening set marked the 33rd time in her career she has won a set 6-0 at a major.
Inglis, 27, was the last remaining home player in the women’s draw and was making her first appearance in the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
However, she struggled to cope with Swiatek’s relentless baseline pressure and depth of shot, particularly in the early stages of the match.
“I felt pretty confident from the beginning,” Swiatek said.
“The pace of the ball was much different than in my last round. So I needed to adjust my legs and really be precise with the footwork.
“I’m happy that I went for it.”
Swiatek has now won 39 of her last 40 matches against players ranked outside the top 100 since the start of 2022, with her only defeat in that span coming against Alexandra Eala. She has dropped just one set in the tournament so far, losing a set to Anna Kalinskaya in the third round.
The former world No.1 is bidding to complete a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, having already won the French Open four times, as well as titles at the US Open and Wimbledon.
She will welcome a scheduled day off ahead of her quarter-final against former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, particularly with forecast temperatures around 44 degrees.
Rybakina eased past Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3 in her own fourth-round match, dropping only four games. The quarter-final will be the 12th meeting between the pair, with Swiatek holding a narrow 6-5 lead in their head-to-head record.
