Iga Swiatek, the six-time Grand Slam champion, advanced to the third round at Wimbledon on Thursday, 2 July, defeating 2021 finalist Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-3 on Centre Court at the All England Club in London. The result was more convincing than her opener, though the world-class Pole acknowledged she is still working her way back to peak form on grass.

A Steadier Performance on Centre Court

By her own admission, Swiatek was not at her absolute best, but Thursday's display was a marked improvement over her emotionally fraught first-round encounter against Taylor Townsend on Tuesday. The former World No. 1 from Poland dropped no sets and showed none of the visible distress that had characterised her opener. She held break points in every Pliskova service game, asserting control from the baseline throughout.

Still, 18 unforced errors — at times arriving in uncomfortable clusters — served as a reminder that her grass-court rhythm is a work in progress. With the quality of opposition set to rise sharply in the later rounds, that error count will need to come down.

What Swiatek Said

'I'm feeling more stable today, and that's good,' Swiatek told the Centre Court crowd after the match. 'The first round was really emotional, but today felt like another day in the office. I needed to be ready, be sharp, and make good decisions.'

She added: 'It's always better when you're able to think like that. I was consistent and had a good level of focus. I just believed I could be the most solid player on the court. I try to be the best player I can be.'

Pliskova's Remarkable Return

Karolina Pliskova, 34, will be disappointed not to have caused greater problems — her career-long proficiency on grass had made her a credible threat before the match. Yet the mere fact of her presence at Wimbledon 2025 is a story in itself.

Almost two years ago, Pliskova ruptured all the ligaments and both tendons in her left ankle. After initial surgery, a severe infection forced a second operation. The injury left her unable to walk, let alone compete at the highest level. She began this year ranked No. 1,054 in the world and has since climbed all the way back to No. 73 — a figure set to rise further once the post-Championships rankings are updated.

What to Watch in the Third Round

Swiatek's path through the draw will demand a sharper, cleaner performance. The unforced errors that peppered Thursday's match were manageable against a Pliskova still rebuilding match sharpness, but they will be punished by the contenders likely to appear in the next rounds. This is the third Wimbledon in which Swiatek has been among the pre-tournament favourites, and her ability to iron out the inconsistencies quickly will define how deep her run goes.