Swiatek Pulls Away From Andreescu, Takes 26-Match Win Streak Against Sabalenka At Rome Masters

Iga Swiatek had a tough opening set, then pulled away from fellow Grand Slam winner Bianca Andreescu 7-6(2), 6-0 in the Rome Masters quarterfinals.

Swiatek’s streak is the fifth longest in history, according to the WTA. She’s also won 38 of her last 39 sets.

“I’m pretty happy that I could do that because consistency was the thing I really wanted to work on last year. This year I feel like it clicked,” Swiatek said.

In this first time meeting, Swiatek failed to close out the first at 5-3, but once she took the break, it was one way.

“I wasn’t really expecting anything because I didn’t actually know how she’s playing after the break. I watched many of her matches before she did that break. Right now I didn’t know if her tennis is the same or it changed a little bit,” Swiatek set.

“But I knew that physically I can play longer rallies and also play longer matches. So basically I was ready for that. Also, I knew that she’s going to change rhythm. She did that, which was pretty tricky. Just knowing that, I was just ready for it. Tactically I knew it about it, so I’m pretty happy that we prepared well.”

She’ll now face Aryna Sabalenka who is finally playing good tennis again. The Belarussian won her first match against Amanda Anisimova in five tries with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Madrid champion Ons Jabeur won her 10th straight match coming from a set down to deny Maria Sakkari 1-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Sakkari was in full command of the match leading 6-1, 5-2 until Jabeur took 13 of the last 14 games!

“In my head at 5-2, I said, ‘You cannot finish those two weeks, those amazing almost three weeks, like this,'” Jabeur said. “That’s what got me started. I’m very happy that I could get the win at the end.

“It’s not easy to play Maria, no? I know she hits really hard. I couldn’t find my rhythm at the beginning. But I’m glad with a little bit experience that I have, I could pull off the win.”

Jabeur will now face Daria Kasatkina who got a retirement from Jil Teichmann at 6-4, 3-2 with a left thigh injury.