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regular-article-logo Monday, 23 December 2024

Madrid Open: World No.1 Iga Swiatek recovers, reaches semis

Swiatek, bidding for her third title this year, broke to lead 3-1 in the first set, but Haddad Maia bounced back to break twice, saving three break points in between to level at 4-4, and took the opening set

Reuters, AP/PTI Madrid Published 01.05.24, 10:40 AM
Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek File image

World No.1 Iga Swiatek recovered from losing the opening set to beat Brazilian 11th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 and moved into the Madrid Open semi-finals on Tuesday.

Swiatek, bidding for her third title this year, broke to lead 3-1 in the first set, but Haddad Maia bounced back to break twice, saving three break points in between to level at 4-4, and took the opening set.

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That was the first set the Pole had dropped in the tournament, but she had an emphatic response, completing a bagel in the second set, where the Brazilian failed to force a single break point and Swiatek won two service games to love.

Swiatek continued in the same vein in the deciding set, breaking at the first opportunity to lead 2-0, and although Haddad Maia broke back immediately, the top seed won four of the next five games to complete her comeback.

Having lost their first meeting in 2022, Swiatek has now won the last three matches against the Brazilian.

Madison Keys rallied after trailing in the first and second sets to beat Coco Gauff 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4 in an all-American fourth-round meeting.

It will be the 20th-ranked Keys’ first quarter final appearance in Madrid. She lost in the first round in seven of her nine previous trips to the Spanish capital.

The third-seeded Gauff undermined herself with 38 unforced errors, including 13 double faults. Keys will face eighth-seeded Ons Jabeur, who eased past Jelena Ostapenko 6-0, 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka, the champion in Madrid in 2021 and 2023, advanced by beating No. 15 Danielle Collins 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The result ended Collins’ 15-match winning streak, and sent Sabalenka into her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the season.

Mirra Andreeva celebrated her 17th birthday with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win over 12th-seeded Jasmine Paolini.

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