MY ACCOUNT
Iga Swiatek had to come from behind to see off Zheng Qinwen in the French Open fourth round, eventually winning 6-7 (5-7) 6-0 6-2.
The number one seed was given a scare in the first set, losing on a tie-break, but powered back to seal a win that was partly helped by an apparent thigh injury sustained by the Chinese teenager.
The first set looked to be going with form as Swiatek raced out to a 5-2 lead, only for Zheng to come back to 5-5 before forcing a tie-break.
Again, Swiatek took a 5-2 lead, but Zheng stormed back with five straight points to claim the first set.
The first set was just three minutes shorter than Swiatek’s entire third-round victory over Danka Kovinic, taking 87 minutes to be completed.
Predictably, having lost a set for the first time at Roland Garros this year, Swiatek upped the tempo at the start of the second, again getting an early break before Zheng had treatment on the top of her right leg after going 3-0 down.
With the Pole motoring and Zheng with strapping on her leg, the game swung hugely in the former’s favour as she breezed through the second set 6-0.
Zheng removed the strapping at the start of the third set but it made little immediate difference as Swiatek broke immediately.
However, Zheng soon rediscovered some of the fight she showed in the first set as she was able to halt an eight-game streak from her dominant opponent to hold serve in the third game of the decider, before troubling the 20-year-old on her own serve and then holding again.
The relentless Swiatek kept applying the pressure and eventually forced the second break, before serving out the match.
She will play number 11 seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals after the American also came from a set down to beat Irina-Camelia Begu on Monday.
Data Slam: Unstoppable Swiatek
Swiatek’s growing winning streak is now at 32, which means only Serena Williams (34) and Venus Williams (35) having recorded longer streaks on the WTA Tour this century.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Swiatek – 32/39
Zheng – 21/46
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Swiatek – 2/1
Zheng – 4/5
BREAK POINTS WON
Swiatek – 7/14
Zheng – 2/10
