The ball bounces for Swiatek, twice
PARIS — Iga Swiatek benefited from the chair umpire’s no-call on a double bounce that gave her a key first-set service break during a matchaltering five-game run, and the French Open’s No. 1 seed moved into the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American Jessica Pegula on Wednesday.
Swiatek’s winning streak is at 33 matches, the longest on tour since Serena Williams won 34 in a row in 2013.
Swiatek plays No. 20 Daria Kasatkina in one women’s semifinal Thursday. The other semi will pit No. 18 Coco Gauff, an 18-year-old American, against unseeded Martina Trevisan, a 28-yearold from Italy.
Swiatek trailed 3-2 in the opening set, and it was 3-all when she earned a break point while Pegula served.
Pegula tried a drop shot, and Swiatek ran to it, reaching out to flip the ball over the net at an impossible angle. The point went to Swiatek, giving her a 4-3 edge.
But, as Pegula later saw on the overhead video board, it should not have: The ball landed a second time on Swiatek’s side of the net. Chair umpire Emmanuel Joseph didn’t notice the double bounce, and officials at the French Open can’t consult video.
Swiatek then took 10 of the last 12 games.
When a reporter mentioned the double bounce, Swiatek seemed to stifle a smile, as if she had anticipated the question.
“If it was two bounces, then I’m sorry,” she said, noting: “These moments are pretty tricky, because it’s all on the umpire.”
On the men’s side, 20th-seeded Marin Cilic delivered 33 aces to get to the final four at the French Open for the first time, edging No. 7 seed Andrey Rublev 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-2) in a 4-hour, 10-minute test of strength and will.
“Andrey played incredibly well. One had to go down,” Cilic said, “and today was my day.”
Cilic will face eighthseeded Casper Ruud on Friday for a berth in the final. Ruud, a 23-year-old from Norway, reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating 19-year-old Dane Holger Rune 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the last quarterfinal.