World No. 1 Iga Swiatek Fends Off Naomi Osaka To Advance At French Open

Whereas the Rafael Nadal-Alexander Zverev match was the most important popcorn match of the early rounds of the French Open on the boys’s aspect, the ladies’s draw featured its personal must-see occasion on Thursday.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek took a 15-match profitable streak at Roland Garros and a 13-match profitable streak total into her second-round matchup with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, a 26-year-old mother now ranked No. 134 on the planet.

Ultimately, Swiatek, the two-time defending champion, fought off a match level to defeat Osaka, 7-6-7(1), 1-6, 7-5, for her sixteenth straight win on the French Open. The match was performed below the roof in Court docket Philippe-Chatrier after play on the surface courts was suspended because of rain.

“My thoughts was flying round typically and after I was actually below this greatest strain, I used to be capable of focus extra and play higher and actually not take into consideration what the rating is or that I’m actually near dropping, so I simply stored going ahead and I hope that my sport goes to get higher due to that,” Swiatek mentioned on court docket.

Osaka was constantly banging in serves round 117- and 119-mph, with at the least one at 120. She knocked out eight aces in comparison with zero for Swiatek.

Swiatek made 37 winners towards 32 unforced errors, whereas Osaka had 54 winners towards 38 unforced errors.

The Pole improved to 17-0 within the first three rounds on the French Open, the match she received in 2020, ‘22 and 23.

Swiatek can be coming off profitable the Italian Open, the place she didn’t drop a set and allowed a mixed 12 video games to Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka within the semis and finals.

Within the third set, Osaka confronted break factors within the opening sport however got here again to take a 1-0 lead.

Osaka then broke for a 2-0 lead with a sharply angled crosscourt backhand winner.

She fought off a break level to grab a 3-0 lead within the third set.

Osaka ripped a operating crosscourt forehand winner to go forward 4-1.

Osaka confidently held serve at love for a 5-2 lead.

With Osaka serving for the match at 5-3, Swiatek saved a match level with an angled backhand return winner.

On break level, Osaka sailed a backhand method lengthy and it was 5-4.

And serving at 5-all, Osaka double-faulted on break level at hand Swiatek a 6-5 lead.

Serving for the match at 6-5, Swiatek arrange match level with a vicious crosscourt backhand winner after which received it when Osaka sailed backhand extensive.