Iga Swiatek hasn’t misplaced a singles match on the French Open since 2021, however that streak almost ended within the fourth spherical on Sunday.
No. 5 seed Swiatek seemed discombobulated in her first set in opposition to No. 12 seed Elena Rybakina. The 2022 Wimbledon champion raced to a 5-0 lead in lower than 20 minutes, scoring 24 of the match’s first 32 factors. She additionally had 10 of the primary 12 winners.
In a post-match interview, Swiatek admitted she felt overwhelmed after the primary set.
“It was robust,” the 24-year-old Pole mentioned. “Within the first, I felt like I used to be taking part in in opposition to Jannik Sinner.”
Sinner, in fact, is the world No. 1 in males’s singles. Originally of the second set, Swiatek continued to wrestle. She double-faulted on the finish of her first sport and shortly trailed 2-0.
Per Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press, she turned to her coaches after shedding her eighth sport. Maybe they reminded her she’s a four-time French Open champion. Swiatek then rallied, profitable six of the seven last video games within the second set.
Rybakina and Swiatek continued to battle within the third set. Within the ninth sport, the Kazakhstani star’s double fault was overruled when she trailed 40-15. She used that to spur a comeback and win the sport 5-4.
Swiatek, nonetheless, remained composed. She held on to like within the subsequent sport. Afterward, she gained the match’s last two video games. Exhilarated, Swiatek roared after the hard-fought victory.
“I wanted to do one thing to get again into the sport, the way in which she was taking part in, I did not have quite a lot of hopes, however I stored preventing,” she mentioned. “On the finish, I used to be capable of play my video games so I used to be pleased.”
Swiatek will face Elina Svitolina within the quarterfinal on Tuesday, the place she goals to win her twenty sixth consecutive match at Roland-Garros.
Surprisingly, Swiatek hasn’t gained a singles title for the reason that 2024 French Open. Sunday’s match in opposition to Rybakina may give her the arrogance increase she wants.
