Swiatek in last 16, extends unbeaten run to 31 matches
PARIS: World No 1 Iga Swiatek racked up her 31st straight win to reach the French Open last 16 on Saturday as Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas looked to make the second week and pounce on any slip-up by title favourites Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Swiatek, the 2020 champion in Paris, dropped serve three times against 95th- ranked Danka Kovinic of Montenegro before sealing a 6-3, 7-5 victory.
Kovinic recovered from 1-4 down in the second set to lead 5-4 but the Pole steadied with a hold and a break before serving out for victory.
Swiatek will next face either Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen, making her debut in Paris, or France’s Alize Cornet, playing in her 61st consecutive Grand Slam.
“I wanted to play really aggressively but sometimes I felt I was hitting with too much power and it was hard to confor trol,” said Swiatek. “I needed to play with a little less risk and be more consistent. She did a pretty good job of defending and giving back at full speed.”
Swiatek’s winning streak is the best on tour since Serena Williams’s run of 34 successive victories in 2013.
In early action, Mackenzie McDonald, the 60th-ranked American, slipped to defeat to Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner after managing to squander 11 set points in the second set.
Sinner triumphed 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-3 and will face seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev for a last eight spot.
Bopanna wins in doubles
Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop saved five match points to knock out Mate Pavic and Nikol Mektic, the reigning Wimbledon champions in two hours and 32 minutes.
Bopanna’s serve was as venomous as it has been throughout his career while his Dutch partner showed exemplary calm as the pair won 6-7 (5), 7-6(3), 7-6 (10).