World number one Iga Swiatek wins 33 in a row at the French Open. In the men’s singles, youngster Holger Rune’s dream of winning the title comes to an end.
World number one Iga Swiatek continues to dominate her competitors at will. The 21-year-old Pole beat Jessica Pegula of the USA 6-3, 6-2 in the quarter-finals in Paris on Wednesday, a day after her birthday, to advance to the semi-finals of the French Open with her 33rd successive win. The world number one converted her fourth match point after 1:29 hours.
“I’m still nervous every time I go on court,” Swiatek said despite her impressive winning streak. The last time the 2020 French Open winner lost a match was in mid-February at the Dubai tournament. “I just try to focus on my game and I managed to do that again today,” Swiatek said.
Next opponent is Darja Kassatkina
In the last four, the Pole will face Russian Darja Kassatkina this Thursday. The 25-year-old beat compatriot Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) in the quarter-finals to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career. “I’m over the moon,” said the Russian: “But I don’t have time to be happy because the next match is already tomorrow. “
American Coco Gauff and Italy’s Martina Trevisan will also face each other in the other final round clash on Thursday. Angelique Kerber was the last German to be eliminated in the third round. The three-time Grand Slam tournament winner will return to the tour in Bad Homburg in two and a half weeks to prepare for Wimbledon.
Cilic and Ruud move into the semi-finals
In the men’s singles, Croatia’s Marin Cilic and Norway’s Casper Ruud followed Olympic champion Alexander Zverev and 13-time Paris champion Rafael Nadal into the semi-finals. The 33-year-old Cilic won against Russia’s Andrei Rublyov in a super tiebreak 5:7, 6:3, 6:4, 3:6, 7:6 (10:2). After 4:10 hours, the 2014 US Open champion used his first match point.
Cilic will now meet Ruud on Friday in the battle for a place in the final. The 23-year-old Norwegian won the Scandinavian duel with Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 well after midnight and has reached the semi-finals for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament.
Alexander Zverev had already reached the semi-finals on Tuesday by beating Carlos Alcaraz. There, the Olympic champion will meet 13-time Paris champion Rafael Nadal on Friday. The Spaniard had prevailed over defending champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia.
