How much grit does it take to play through a marathon match at the start of the season? For Iga Swiatek, the answer came in the form of a thrilling three-hour showdown at Ken Rosewall Arena. The world No. 2 kicked off her 2025 campaign in Sydney, leading Poland to the semi-finals with a hard-fought 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4 win over Katie Boulter. The victory not only secured an insurmountable 2-0 lead for her team in the quarter-finals but also showcased Swiatek’s resilience in a tightly contested match that pushed her to her limits.

Though the duo has practiced together before, the intensifying match-up between her and the World No.24 Katie Boulter was their first encounter. And what a sight it was!

Boulter quickly grasped the daunting challenge presented by Swiatek, who immediately asserted dominance, racing to a 4-1 lead. Undeterred, Boulter fought back with aggressive, high-octane tennis, leveling the score at 4-4. Her powerful groundstrokes, averaging 76mph on the forehand and 75mph on the backhand, propelled her to a dominant first-set tie-break. Swiatek responded in the second set.

However, it took such a toll on the Polish star that she had to wear a strapping on her thigh in the third set and also called for a medical timeout at 2-1 down in the final set as the duo went toe-to-toe in a tense encounter. 

With the match finely poised at 4-4, Swiatek produced a breathtaking backhand down-the-line winner to stave off a crucial break point. This pivotal moment shifted the momentum, and Swiatek, playing with unwavering focus, closed out the final seven points to claim a thrilling victory in what is already a contender for match of the year.

In the post-match interview, she revealed, “This match was crazy like so many changes of momentum like I thought I have it under control in the first set. But for sure I got tight, you know, and I didn’t work on it. But then I didn’t want to repeat the same mistake in the third and yeah, like I took like four painkillers cause a lot hurt but I’m happy that we won and for sure I am gonna use the day off tomorrow.”

Before Swiatek’s win, Hubert Hurkacz gave Poland a strong start with a straight-sets victory over Billy Harris in the men’s singles. The 16th-ranked Hurkacz, who has a new coach this season, defeated the World No. 133, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5. While Hurkacz hasn’t been at his best to start the season, his win gave Poland one foot in the last four.

With Swiatek’s victory following Hurkacz’s, Poland secured a commanding lead against Great Britain, making their path to the semi-finals certain. With the semi-finals looming, Swiatek and Team Poland will now prepare to face Kazakhstan. Led by World No. 6 Elena Rybakina, Kazakhstan advanced to the semis after defeating defending champions Germany in a commanding performance.

Swiatek’s impressive run at the United Cup is her first tournament since serving a one-month suspension for a doping violation. The five-time Grand Slam champion is looking for a fresh start in the new season.

Iga Swiatek hopeful of no WADA appeal in doping case

Iga Swiatek had tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a heart medication, during an out-of-competition test in August. The prohibited substance was ingested by her through a contaminated sleeping pill she took for insomnia and jet-lag. While this news initially sent shockwaves through the tennis world, Swiatek successfully argued her case before the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). The panel accepted her defense, deeming the violation unintentional.

During her suspension, Swiatek missed three tournaments and, as a result, relinquished the World No. 1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka. Addressing the issue at a news conference in Sydney, Swiatek said, “I don’t think there is any reason [for an appeal], because I didn’t play three tournaments. I was suspended for a long time, and I lost No. 1, you know, because of that. I also know how the procedure worked, and I gave every possible evidence and there is not much, honestly, to do more. So I don’t know, there is no point to do an appeal in our opinion, you know.”

Swiatek expressed confidence in the process and trust in the ITIA’s fairness in handling doping cases and said, “I’m not expecting an appeal, but I have kind of no influence on what’s going to happen. So I guess, in my opinion, it was a fair process, and I trust ITIA that any case they do, they’re going to treat every player the same way and fairly.”

While the Polish Anti-Doping Agency (POLADA) has confirmed that it will not appeal the ITIA’s decision, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) still has until January 21 to decide whether it will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

For now, Swiatek’s focus remains firmly on her performance in Sydney and the challenges ahead. Swiatek has now won all three of her singles matches in Sydney and is prepared for the Australian Open, which is just over a week away. Can she keep up this momentum and clinch her 6th Grand Slam?