By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, March 15, 2024
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek crushed Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-1, streaking into her second BNP Paribas Open final in the last three years.
Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty
Swarming bees hostile takeover of the stadium was thwarted yesterday.
A unrelenting Iga Swiatek played power predator today.
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World No. 1 Swiatek crushed Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-1, streaking into her second BNP Paribas Open final in the last three years.
"For sure, I’m happy with the performance," Swiatek told Andrew Krasny afterward. "I think it was the cleanest match I played her so I’m really happy of the adjustment I made. It’s already a great tournament, so I’m really happy."
How commanding has the four-time Grand Slam champion been?
Swiatek has surrendered just 17 games in tournament victories over Danielle Collins, Linda Noskova, Yulia Putintseva, Caroline Wozniacki and now Kostyuk.
The 2022 Indian Wells champion will face either US Open champion Coco Gauff or ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari in Sunday’s final. Swiatek has dominated Gauff winning nine of their 10 matches, while Sakkari owns a 3-2 career edge over the dynamic Pole.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Swiatek, who improved to 22-7 in WTA semifinals, is bidding to become the first top seed to win the BNP Paribas Open since Victoria Azarenka in 2012.
Calling the shots with command today, Swiatek exploited Kostyuk's over-aggression at times and punished the Ukrainian with her biting topspin forehand. Swiatek served 74 percent, won 24 of 29 first-serve points and did not face a single break point, raising her 2024 record to a WTA-best 19-2.
"It was just about the things I wanted to improve in my game," Swiatek said. "I was able to do that, so that’s why I can play in a solid way.
"I didn’t have any moment in the match today where I didn’t feel confident."
Hall of Famer Monica Seles was watching intently as Swiatek burst out of the blocks exploiting a double fault and error for triple break point.
Timing her topspin forehand smoothly, Swiatek drilled a diagonal forehand winner breaking at love for 2-1.
Squeaking sneakers signaled Swiatek’s desire to move forehand. Swiatek slammed a short smash confirming the break for a 3-1 lead after just 12 minutes.
The 21-year-old Kostyuk showed her all-court skills building a 40-15 lead, but bumped a routine backhand volley into the tape on game point. That miscue proved costly: Kostyuk double faulted away the second straight break with a wave of her hand as Swiatek sped to a 4-1 lead.
A confident Swiatek served out the opening set at 30 in 30 minutes.
It was the first set Kostyuk dropped in the tournament.
Playing her first WTA 1000 semifinal, Kostyuk tried amping up her aggression, but betrayed her cause with 15 unforced errors compared to 4 for Swiatek in the opening set.
Serving just 36 percent in the opening set, Kostyuk knew she needed to land more first serves in the second.
That proved challenging—and Swiatek was menacing on second-serve returns. Hammering a deep return, Swiatek moved in and tomahawked a short forehand scoring her third break to start the second set.
Fierce front-runner Swiatek—sporting a 77-2 record when winning the opening set since the start of 2023—was beating the Ukrainian to the ball and winning the longer, physical rallies.
Australian Open quarterfinalist Kostyuk appeared to hurt her left foot changing direction behind the baseline in the third game.
An unrelenting Swiatek provoked a couple of errors, scoring her second break of the set for a 3-0 lead.
After the game, Kostyuk took a medical timeout for treatment of her foot.
That was temporary reprieve.
An oppressive Swiatek never let up lashing one final forehand bolt down the line sealing an exceptional 69-minute triumph.
"Well, for sure I'm proud of myself and really excited," Swiatek said. "I think it was a great match for me today. I have all positive vibes."
Afterward, Swiatek was asked to identify her greatest weapons.
"I would say overall the intensity and the discipline and my topspin," Swiatek said. "I needed to learn how to balance this intensity. I remember, you know, when I was younger, on one point I was more of a defense player, and when I started working with Tomasz, he taught me, you know, how to be more aggressive, but then you need to balance it."