New York (AFP) – Iga Swiatek swept aside Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets to sail into the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday. Swiatek, the No.2 seed from Poland regarded as the pre-tournament betting favourite, reached her fourth Grand Slam quarter-final of the season with a 6-3, 6-1 victory in just over an hour.
The 2022 US Open champion had been made to work hard on Saturday for her third round victory over another Russian opponent, Anna Kalinskaya, who had raced into a 5-1 first set lead before losing in straight sets. But Monday’s assignment against Alexandrova proved more straightforward for the six-time Grand Slam champion. After both players swapped breaks of serve to open the first set, Swiatek broke in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead. She held to go two games up, and then was gifted a break point in the ninth game when Alexandrova double-faulted.
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Swiatek pounced on that chance to take the first set, and then moved through the gears to wrap up victory in the second, breaking Alexandrova twice before serving out to clinch the win. Swiatek could face a rematch against eighth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals, who she defeated 6-0, 6-0 to clinch her first Wimbledon title in July. Anisimova plays Brazilian 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the fourth round later Monday.
While four of Swiatek’s six Grand Slam titles came on the clay of the French Open at Roland Garros, Monday’s win demonstrated she remains comfortable on all surfaces. “Every month is different and I can play on every surface if I feel confident in my game and in my head,” she said afterwards, expressing satisfaction with her display. “I felt like in the beginning she played fast but later on I felt in my bubble, in the zone,” she said. “I’m happy with the quality and my serve.”
© 2024 AFP
