The World No.1 Iga Swiatek advanced into her second Madrid Open quarterfinal after a masterclass performance against Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Playing on the Manolo Santana, Swiatek registered a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over home favourite Sorribes Tormo, dropping just one game. The Pole is bidding for a maiden title at the only clay-court tournament at the WTA 1000 level or above. The World No.1 will next face No.11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. In the match, the Pole was at her absolutely best as despite giving up the lead early in the game she recovered well and booked her place in the quarterfinal. With three careless forehand errors and a double fault in the first game, Swiatek gave up the easy lead. But she didn't let that be the end of it. Instead, she exploited her sheer pace and margins to force few errors from the Sorribes Tormo racquet. The match's greatest points came in the final two games of the opening set, which were also the tightest because Sorribes Tormo skillfully prolonged rallies and used her lobs and drop shots. Unfazed, Swiatek won her fair share of lengthy exchanges and displayed the point construction required to maintain her lead over World No. 55. With a sparking forehand, Swiatek slammed home drive volleys to sweep past the second set, wrapping up the match with a comprehensive victory against the home player. En route to the quarter, Swiatek overpowered Romania's Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday. (ANI)
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