World number female tennis star, Poland’s Iga Swiatek has gained her passage to the round of the sixteen in the ongoing Italian open.
Despite losing in the Madrid final last weekend, Swiatek looked to have gotten her groove back as she breezed into the last 16 of the women’s draw.
The 21-year-old is trying for her third straight Rome title and made light work of Tsurenko after a slightly bumpy start.
Swiatek lost the first two games but then rattled off 12 in a row in a powerful demonstration of why she is world number one and favourite to defend her Roland Garros title.
“I’m just trying to be consistent and trying to play my game. I treat every match as a final, I try to have the right mindset,” said Swiatek on court.
Swiatek now faces Donna Vekic, who saw off Ljudmila Samsonova 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, after extending her winning streak in the Italian capital to 13 matches.
Her bid for a Rome hat-trick will be helped by six of the world’s top 10 women players being eliminated early.
In a similar fashion , male tennis star , Novak Djokovic also reached the last 16 of the Italian Open on Sunday after winning a battle with Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, while blistering Iga Swiatek thrashed Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-0.
Six-time Rome champion Djokovic initially looked in improved form compared to his sluggish tournament opener against Tomas Etcheverry but again had a fight on his hands against the former world number three.
“I think I’m getting close to the desired level. You can always play better but today I had a really good quality opponent and I think I delivered,” Djokovic told reporters.