Emma Raducanu sets up Australian Open showdown with Iga Swiatek
Emma Raducanu will take on five-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek after battling through more injury problems to beat Amanda Anisimova in the second round of the Australian Open.
The former US Open champion had her preparations for the tournament disrupted by a back spasm and she had treatment for what appeared to be a lower back issue during the second set.
There were five more double faults - a significant improvement on the 15 in her first-round win over Ekaterina Alexandrova - but that did not stop her reaching the last 32 for the first time here thanks to a 6-3 7-5 victory over big-hitting American Anisimova.
Now she will get a fourth crack at world number two Swiatek, who she is yet to win a set against.
"This is a slam that I love playing at so to make it past the second round means a lot to me," said Raducanu.
"It's incredibly difficult whenever you play a friend, it adds another dimension to the match and not necessarily a pleasant one. I think I did a good job. I knew I had to not go away in the second set.
"I was feeling it a little bit but I'm glad I have a little bit of time to recover before my next match. It's another opportunity to test my game. I have nothing to lose. I'm going to give it my best."
Elena Rybakina sent another teenager packing from the Australian Open after the sixth seed overcame a second-set wobble to beat American wildcard Iva Jovic 6-0 6-3 and move into the third round.
Aged 17, Jovic was the youngest woman in the second round of the draw but looked well out of her depth in the opening set against the former Wimbledon champion, who is 184 rungs above her in the WTA rankings and a head taller.
Rybakina, who had dispatched 16-year-old Australian wildcard and junior world number one Emerson


