Sinner and Swiatek enter next round as Tsitsipas exits Madrid
Swiatek is preparing to make a run for a third consecutive title at the French Open next month. She is a threetime champion at Roland Garros (2020, ‘22, ’23)
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek both brushed aside opponents to advance at the Madrid Open on Saturday.
Sinner downed fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-0, 6-3 in the second round to improve to 5-0 against his countryman. The Australian Open champion had a first-round bye.
Sinner will next face either Jordan Thompson or Pavel Kotov. He is chasing his fourth title of the season after winning at Melbourne Park and in Rotterdam and Miami - all hard-court events. Just one of his 13 career titles has come on clay, at the Croatia Open in 2022.
“I feel like if you serve well here it’s a huge weapon,” said the 22-year-old Italian.
“I didn’t play here last year, so in the two years since I’ve been here, I have improved many things.
“I can still improve because here it’s very different to play; tomorrow is a practice day, so hopefully I can get a better feel of the court.”
Swiatek likewise made quick work of Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-1 to reach the women’s round of 16.
The top-ranked Swiatek, who lost last year’s final to Aryna Sabalenka, improved her record this season to 26-4. She will next face either Victoria Azarenka or Sara Sorribes Tormo on Monday for a spot in the final eight.
Swiatek is preparing to make a run for a third consecutive title at the French Open next month. She is a three-time champion at Roland Garros (2020, ‘22, ’23).
The Madrid Open is the only European clay tournament at the 500 level or above the Polish player has yet to win.
“For sure the weather is different than last year but still I know how to play in these kind of conditions. I feel really comfortable,” said Swiatek.
Fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari ended Sloane Stephens’ seven-match winning run with a 6-1, 6-3 win over the American.
Earlier, Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a surprise second round exit at the hands of world number 118 Thiago Monteiro in Madrid on Saturday, while Iga Swiatek cruised into the last 16 on a rainy day at the Caja Magica.
Tsitsipas, who arrived in the Spanish capital with only one defeat on clay this term, lost 6-4, 6-4 to the Brazilian qualifier in just over 90 minutes.
The Greek world number seven had a first round bye and came into the tournament on the back of a third title triumph in Monte Carlo and a runner-up showing in Barcelona in the previous two weeks.
But the left-handed Monteiro looked more comfortable on court, benefitting from having already won three matches this week, through qualifying and the main draw.
Monteiro, 29, landed a stunning 89 per cent of his first serves in throughout the clash with Tsitsipas, who saved three match points in the last two games but yielded on the fourth, to gift his opponent a milestone victory.
“For sure this is one of the biggest wins of my career,” said Monteiro, who is through to the third round at a Masters 1000 event for the first time.
“I knew it was a really tough match but I tried to believe in myself the whole time. I was feeling good on the court, I like to play on clay in altitude.”
Since the start of 2021, this is just the second time in 11 Masters clay tournaments where Tsitsipas has not made at least the quarter-finals, and the 25-year-old Greek was disappointed by his performance.
“I just wish I was able to return the way I did in the last game,” said Tsitsipas.
“I felt out of rhythm the entire match on my returns. I felt very disbalanced and just my body was going all over the place.