By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 30, 2024
World No.1 Iga Swiatek moved a step closer to realizing her Olympic dream on a balmy Tuesday in Paris.
Photo Source: Getty
Iga Swiatek is no stranger to achieving staggering milestones on the red clay of Paris.
On Tuesday in the city of lights, she added another: Swiatek defeated China’s Wang Xiyu in a physical battle, 6-3, 6-4, to become the first Polish player – male or female – to ever reach an Olympic singles quarterfinal.
Swiatek, who has won all six sets she has played thus far at the Paris Olympics, will face American Danielle Collins for a spot in the semifinals. Collins, in her last season as a pro, took out Colombia’s Camila Osorio, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
In the second career meeting between Swiatek and Wang – and second of 2024 – the Pole was made to work to get past the physical southpaw. She faced eight break points overall, saving six of them to improve to a mindblowing 38-2 lifetime on the grounds of Roland-Garros.
It was an impressive first five games for the 52nd-ranked Chinese, but she had nothing to show for it after failing to convert two break points in the third game and another in the fifth game. Swiatek converted her lone chance of the set to lead 4-2 and won eight of the next nine points on her serve to lead 6-3.
In sweltering conditions on Court Phillipe-Chatrier, Wang kept up the chase in the second set. The pair traded breaks in the first two games, and again later in the set. A break for Wang at love levelled the set at four-all, but signs of wear started to show for Wang, who needed a medical timeout to have her left thigh assessed and taped after Swiatek broke for 5-4.
The final game was tense, but No.1-ranked Pole pulled it out, saving a break point and converting her second match point to reach the quarterfinals.
Swiatek improves to 50-5 on the season overall, and 24-1 on clay.