WTA Tour: Iga Swiatek sees off Marketa Vondrousova to book Coco Gauff semi-final in Cincinnati
Iga Swiatek overcame a tricky opening set before racing to a 7-6 (3) 6-1 victory over Marketa Vondrousova on Friday; Swiatek will face Coco Gauff next after the American defeated Italy's Jasmine Paolini in straight sets
Saturday 19 August 2023 07:26, UK
World No 1 Iga Swiatek eased past Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to set up a semi-final meeting with Coco Gauff at the the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Swiatek overcame a tricky opening set before racing to a 7-6 (3) 6-1 victory over Vondrousova in a clash between the last two Grand Slam winners, with the world No 1 breaking the Wimbledon champion five times and saved four of six break points to seal victory in 91 minutes.
Vondrousova enjoyed an ideal start and dropped only three points on serve by the time she built a 5-3 lead and served for the set twice, but she was denied both times by Swiatek before the Pole ran away with the tie-breaker.
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Swiatek found a higher gear in the second where she feasted on Vondrousova's serve and broke three times - including in the final game, where she sealed the win with a forehand down the line that the Czech was unable to chase down.
"It wasn't easy to adjust to her spin because she's a lefty," Swiatek said during her on-court interview. "She really used that and her experience for sure but I really wanted to be determined and fight for every ball, and in the end this is what worked."
Swiatek, who has occupied top spot in the world rankings since April 2022, will face Gauff in the semi-finals after the American seventh seed brushed aside Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini 6-3 6-2.
Unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova needed just 11 minutes on court to reach the last four as compatriot Marie Bouzkova retired from their match with a right leg strain while trailing 3-0.
Muchova will meet Aryna Sabalenka in the final four, after the second seed endured a back-and-forth affair to eclipse fifth seed Ons Jabeur 7-5 6-3.
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Across Sky Sports' linear channels and on Sky Sports digital and social channels, tennis fans can enjoy extensive coverage, including both the men's and women's tournaments, alongside respective doubles, mixed doubles, juniors, and wheelchair competitions.
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