Iga Swiatek calmly has rival Danielle Collins on toast

Iga Swiatek doesn’t ooze charisma or Hollywood glam. She’s not the most powerful or poetic player – but she’s the best. And she’s snuck through to round three of the Australian Open.

Polish world No.1 Iga Swiatek plays a forehand in her round two singles match against Danielle Collins on Thursday. Picture: Getty Images

You’ve gotta love the quiet ­efficiency of Iga Swiatek.

Gotta love the studious approach to matters. Gotta love the demeanour as speckless as her divinely white racquet. Gotta love how she doesn’t grunt and groan and bung on the histrionics. Gotta love that she’s become World No.1 while rather uninterested in celebritydom. You’ve gotta love the decency of it all.

She pumps her fist and thumps her heart upon beating American Danielle Collins 6-4 3-6 6-4 but even then there’s something ­rather understated about it all.

Collins is the loud, proud, temperamental, big-hitting, grunting, groaning, caterwauling player who blew a 5-1 lead in the second set of the 2022 Australian Open final to the adrenalised and ever-grateful Ash Barty.

She hits a mean ball but gets the yips under pressure. She led 4-1 in the deciding set against Swiatek before capitulating again … and eyeing off retirement.

Asked how she escaped, Swiatek replied: “Oh my god, I don’t even know. Honestly, third set, I was going to the airport already. I wanted to fight and push to the end and I’m very proud of myself because it wasn’t easy.”

Swiatek likes to grab a coffee down at Flinders Lane. Most Melbourne folks don’t have the ­foggiest who she is.

Umpteen of her predecessors as World No.1 have been larger-than-life figures. Maria Sharapova and the Williams sisters transcended the sport while oozing charisma and Hollywood glam. They were loud and demonstrative and knew where the cameras were. You couldn’t ignore them if you tried. Swiatek ain’t no diva. She plays in a whisper. Whether it’s ordering a cuppa or trying to win the Open, she just quietly goes about her business.

“Flat white with oat milk,” she said of her coffee order. “And toasted banana bread when my coaches aren’t watching.”

Poland’s Iga Swiatek grabs a coffee at a cafe in Flinders Lane. Picture: AFP/Tennis Australia

She competes with the air of someone trying to solve a Rubik’s cube. She’ll get there if she puts her mind to it. She’s not revolutionising tennis. There’s nothing especially remarkable about the game of the 22-year-old Pole. She has a tremendously whippy forehand, respectable backhand and a serve that gets the job done.

What she does especially well is give every point her full attention. She’s patient and proficient. She’s not the most powerful nor the most poetic, but she’s become the best. Politely. Diligently. You’ve gotta admire that.

“Every shot matters,” she said.

Collins’ entourage kept trying to fire her up. Right here, Danielle! Keep punching D! Bring it, Danielle! Go big, D! Had the match in the bag. Had her foe on toasted banana bread. Swiatek put her pink thinking cap on. Worked it out in three hours and 14 minutes. D kept going big but she’s also going home.

Swiatek shook her hand and said: “Great match.”

There was no wild celebration. Then she put her head under a towel and did have a little weep. She had every reason to be proud of herself. That was a tough and titanic triumph. She was endearingly unsure what to write on the courtside camera. She took forever before writing: “Thriller.” With a smiley face. Her next Rubik’s cube will be against the Czech Republic’s World No.50 Linda Noskova on Saturday.

Collins said: “I lost 6-4 in the third to one of the best players in the world. I left it all on the court.

“I’m kind of at the end of my career and the losses don’t sting quite as much. Obviously they matter and my career means a lot to me but at the end of the day, you either win or you lose and that’s all there is to it.”

End of your career? Nobody knew she was plotting retirement. “Yeah, this is going to be my last season,” the 30-year-old said.

“I don’t know exactly when but this will be my last season. I’m really looking forward to that.

“I feel like I’ve had a pretty good career. There’s certainly been ups and downs to it. I think with the travel and some of the things away from the court with scheduling and all of that, this is a really tough sport. I have other things I’d like to accomplish in my life outside of tennis. Obviously having kids is a big priority for me, so …”