On her 23rd birthday, top-ranked player Iga Swiatek showcased her skills with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 win against Marie Bouzkova, securing her spot in the French Open‘s last 16.
In the previous match, Swiatek faced a tense moment, saving a match point against Naomi Osaka before clinching a hard-earned victory. Against Bouzkova, she demonstrated her finesse by strategically dismantling the Czech player’s serve with precision shots.
Swiatek’s court dominance continues to unbeaten streak of 15 matches
Swiatek’s clay court dominance continues as she extends her unbeaten streak to 15 matches, securing victories in Madrid and Rome earlier this month. At Roland Garros, her winning streak now stands at an impressive 17.
Despite the birthday celebrations and fans singing “Happy Birthday,” Swiatek remained focused on her game. “I held off feeling the birthday vibes until after the match,” she shared with reporters, emphasising the importance of maintaining concentration to avoid any setbacks.
A 17th straight win on the Paris clay for Swiatek puts her in the final 16.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/kzxzZ8Mmi8
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2024
“I’m really thrilled about the win; it’s like a present I gave myself,” Swiatek expressed happily. “Playing on your birthday isn’t the most convenient, especially when it’s an early match at eight in the morning.
There’s not much time left for celebration afterward, but that’s part of the job, and we just have to roll with it without complaints.”
Despite a tough three set battle with Osaka in the previous match, the defending champion showed no signs of fatigue. She quickly took a lead of 3-1 in the first set after consolidating an early break.
However, Bouzkova made a strong comeback from being down 5-2, providing Swiatek with a challenging workout on the court.
Swiatek shifted her approach, tactfully constructing her points and utilising precise angles to make Bouzkova scramble across the court, hitting a total of 18 winners in the opening set.
As the top seed, she maintained her dominance in the second set, effortlessly turning defense into offense on Bouzkova’s serve, breaking twice to quickly establish a 4-0 lead.
In a moment of relief, Bouzkova couldn’t help but laugh after a lengthy rally, as a return grazed the net cord and landed perfectly on the line, earning her a point on the board in the second set. The crowd erupted in applause, acknowledging the intensity of the rally.
Despite Bouzkova saving a match point on her serve, it only prolonged the inevitable as Swiatek sealed her advancement with a powerful winner down the line, marking her 34th winner of the match.
Swiatek’s next opponent will be Russia’s Anastasia Potapova, currently ranked number 41 in the world.
