Top-ranked Iga Swiatek moved on at the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over power-hitting Danielle Collins. (More Tennis News)
Swiatek improved to 15-2 this season and earned her fifth straight win over the 30-year-old American, who previously announced that she intends to retire after the season, on Friday.
The two met in January in the second round of the Australian Open, with Swiatek winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
This one was much easier.
Swiatek, a four-time major champion, won 71.1% of her first-serve points, compared to Collins' 50%. Collins did herself no favors with unforced errors and seven double-faults.
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Swiatek now faces either Linda Noskova or Camila Giorgi, who were playing later Friday night. Swiatek lost in the third round at Melbourne Park to the 19-year-old Noskova.
In other women's action, Angelique Kerber battled back to beat Jelena Ostapenko 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a matchup of former Grand Slam champions. It was similar to Kerber's three-set win in Cincinnati in 2021 before she became a mother and returned to action this year.
Kerber, who reached the Indian Wells final in 2019, is a three-time Grand Slam titlist.
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On the men's side, Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Thanasi Kokkinakis to extend his winning streak to 16 matches. The third-ranked Sinner won 74.5% of his service points to run his all-time record against Kokkinakis to 4-0.
Andrey Rublev defeated Andy Murray 7-6 (3), 6-1, while Alejandro Tabilo, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur also won in straight sets.
