Two-time French champion Iga Swiatek made a strong start on her favorite surface easing past 20-year-old Qinwen Zheng straight sets 6-1, 6-4. Swiatek improved to 3-0 against the Chinese star.
In the win, Swiatek lost just six points on first serve and broke four times. She’ll now face former champion Karolina Pliskova tomorrow in the quarters.
“I felt like I needed to be 100% focused from the beginning to the end, to think about technique and tactics,” Swiatek said to the WTA. “I’m pretty happy that I’m not rusty and I could perform good tennis, even though I had a break.”
Pliskova needed a final set breaker win to take care of Donna Vekic. Swiatek got a walkover from Pliskova earlier this year in Dubai. But she destroyed her in the Rome final last year.
No. 4 seed Caroline Garcia took down German hope Tatjana Maria 7-6(7-5), 6-4. Maria failed to serve out the first set at 6-5 and then a couple of double faults cost her at 4-all in the second. Garcia is now 2-0 against Maria.
Anastasia Potapova surprised No. 5 seed Coco Gauff in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. She beat the teen star last month in Miami and now did it again this time on a different surface.
“It was actually a tough match, mentally and physically as well, even if the score is not three sets like it was in Miami. Maybe I just really like the clay, especially indoors. It’s my dream combo,” Potapova said.
Elena Rybakina fell as well retiring down 6-1, 3-1 to Beatriz Haddad Maia.
And Paula Badosa eased past Cristina Bucsa 6-1, 6-2. Badosa now gets No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka tomorrow in the quarters. Badosa has the better of Sabalenka 2-1 in their tour-level meetings. Sabalenka was the victor in their last meeting in this round in Stuttgart last year.
Jabeur clashes with Beatriz Haddad Maia in a first-time tour-level collision. And Garcia gets Potapova. The two have split two meetings.
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