Swiatek shows dominating form, cruises to Madrid Open semis

Polish tennis sensation Iga Swiatek showcased her dominance at the 2021 Madrid Open, cruising through to the semifinals in style. Swiatek, the 14th seed at the tournament, did not drop a single set en route to the semifinals, where she faced off against the in-form Swiss player Belinda Bencic.

Swiatek’s journey to the semifinals started with a comprehensive victory over American Shelby Rogers in the opening round. The 19-year-old showed her class, hitting 26 winners and committing only 12 unforced errors to win 6-3, 6-4. In the second round, Swiatek was up against French player Kristina Mladenovic, whom she dispatched with relative ease, winning 7-5, 6-1.

The third round saw Swiatek come up against the American Jessica Pegula, who had caused an upset in the previous round by defeating the world number two Naomi Osaka. However, Swiatek was not to be deterred, and she put on a masterclass to defeat Pegula 6-2, 6-1.

In the quarterfinals, Swiatek faced off against Russian player Svetlana Kuznetsova, a former French Open and US Open champion. However, Swiatek proved too strong for Kuznetsova, winning 6-3, 6-4 to set up a mouthwatering clash against Bencic in the semifinals.

Bencic, who had beaten world number one Ashleigh Barty in the quarterfinals, was expected to provide a stern test for Swiatek. However, the Pole was in scintillating form, and she raced to a 6-2, 6-2 victory to book her place in the final.

Swiatek’s performance at the Madrid Open has once again demonstrated her incredible talent and potential. The teenager burst onto the scene in 2020, winning the French Open in dominant fashion and becoming the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam title in singles. Since then, she has continued to impress, winning her second WTA title at the Adelaide International in February.

Swiatek’s next opponent in the final will be the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the other semifinal. The final promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both players in excellent form and capable of producing some breathtaking tennis.

In conclusion, Iga Swiatek’s dominant performance at the Madrid Open has once again highlighted her immense talent and potential. The 19-year-old has shown that she is a force to be reckoned with on the WTA tour, and she will be hoping to add another title to her impressive resume in the final against Aryna Sabalenka.