Madrid: Women’s World No.1 Iga Swiatek came back from a service break down early in the first set to overcome No.29 seed Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-2 in the third round of the Madrid Open here on Sunday.
With this win the Polish star extended her clay-court winning streak this season to six after winning against her opponent from the United States, thus clinching her place in the fourth round.
Swiatek needed just 75 minutes to dispatch Pera and move through to a fourth-round meeting with either No.22 seed Zheng Qinwen or No.16 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
“I wouldn’t say it was easy. Every match is tricky here,” Swiatek said afterwards. “I’m happy that I’m getting my rhythm. Playing against a lefty is never easy…but I’m pretty happy that I was disciplined and focused.”
Also in the women’s singles, eighth seed Daria Kasatkina had a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine, and 18th seed Martina Trevisan defeated Aylsia Parks of the United States 7-6(3), 6-1.
Meanwhile, China’s eighth-seeded women’s doubles pairing of Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan were eliminated in the Round of 16 at the Madrid Open tennis tournament currently underway in Madrid.
Xu and Yang were defeated 6-3, 6-1 by American Bethanie Mettak-Sands and local favourite Paula Badosa in an hour and two minutes during the morning session, reports Xinhua.
In the third round of the men’s singles on Sunday, fifth seed Andrey Rublev enjoyed a straight-set 6-2, 7-5 victory over Japan’s 28th seed, Yoshihito Nishioka.
Rublev will face his fellow Russian Karen Khachanov after the 10th-seeded player defeated Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in a marathon match that lasted just under three hours.
Spain’s Jaume Munar gave home fans something to cheer about when he fought back from a set down to defeat Matteo Arnaldi, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
–IANS