Defending champion Iga Swiatek took a big step towards a third successive French Open title by dismantling teary American third seed Coco Gauff 6-2 6-4 in the semi-final on Thursday to match her longest winning streak on clay.

Four-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek also extended her dominance over Gauff by sealing an 11th victory in 12 meetings and will head into a Saturday showdown with either 12th seed Jasmine Paolini or 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.

"It was intense. In the second set it was right because we were breaking each other. I was consistent with my tactics and went for it," Swiatek said.

Defeat was a big blow for Gauff, who was beaten by Swiatek in the 2022 final as well as last year's quarter-finals, but she leaves Paris knowing that she will climb to number two in the world rankings on Monday.

"I think she's progressing a lot," Swiatek said of the 20-year-old U.S. Open champion.

"You can see by her results. Last year's U.S. Open showed she's tough. At this age, it's obvious she's going to just grow. It's nice to see her handling everything well around her, because it's not easy.

"I'm sure we'll have plenty more intense matches at the highest level. Coco is one of the most consistent players out there."

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Swiatek drew first blood by breaking in the opening game of the contest after a forehand error by the ultra aggressive Gauff and the top-seeded Pole fought off break points in her next two service games before tightening her grip.

Having dropped the first set following an error, Gauff wiped away tears while up 2-1 in the second after an argument with the umpire over a contentious line call, but the American recovered to break her opponent for the first time.

However, Swiatek struck back immediately before holding and breaking to surge to a 4-3 lead with a powerful winner as a 20th straight victory at Roland Garros appeared in sight for the 23-year-old at her favourite hunting ground.

Soaking up the applause at a sun-drenched Court Philippe-Chatrier, Madrid and Rome champion Swiatek secured victory on serve and equalled her 18-match winning streak on the sport's slowest surface between Stuttgart and Warsaw in 2022.

Swiatek, who saved a match point to beat former world number one Naomi Osaka in the second round, has lost 14 games since and will be the favourite to prevail at the weekend.

"For sure something changed. I adjusted better to the court. It's not easy to play the first matches at a Grand Slam because the atmosphere is different than other tournaments," she said.

"Against Naomi I didn't have time to get into it. She was intense from the beginning and put pressure on me. I'm happy I handled it well.

"After that the weather changed. It helps my game I feel. I just gained confidence, I would say."

Defending champion Iga Swiatek took a big step towards a third successive French Open title by dismantling teary American third seed Coco Gauff 6-2 6-4 in the semi-final on Thursday to match her longest winning streak on clay.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek took a big step towards a third successive French Open title by dismantling teary American third seed Coco Gauff 6-2 6-4 in the semi-final on Thursday to match her longest winning streak on clay. Four-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek also extended her dominance over Gauff by sealing an 11th victory in 12 meetings and will head into a Saturday showdown with either 12th seed Jasmine Paolini or 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva. "It was intense. In the second set it was right because we were breaking each other. I was consistent with my tactics and went for it," Swiatek said. Defeat was a big blow for Gauff, who was beaten by Swiatek in the 2022 final as well as last year's quarter-finals, but she leaves Paris knowing that she will climb to number two in the world rankings on Monday. "I think she's progressing a lot," Swiatek said of the 20-year-old U.S. Open champion. "You can see by her results. Last year's U.S. Open showed she's tough. At this age, it's obvious she's going to just grow. It's nice to see her handling everything well around her, because it's not easy. "I'm sure we'll have plenty more intense matches at the highest level. Coco is one of the most consistent players out there." ALSO READ: Novak Djokovic injury update: Star player seen on crutches post French Open exit Swiatek drew first blood by breaking in the opening game of the contest after a forehand error by the ultra aggressive Gauff and the top-seeded Pole fought off break points in her next two service games before tightening her grip. Having dropped the first set following an error, Gauff wiped away tears while up 2-1 in the second after an argument with the umpire over a contentious line call, but the American recovered to break her opponent for the first time. However, Swiatek struck back immediately before holding and breaking to surge to a 4-3 lead with a powerful winner as a 20th straight victory at Roland Garros appeared in sight for the 23-year-old at her favourite hunting ground. Soaking up the applause at a sun-drenched Court Philippe-Chatrier, Madrid and Rome champion Swiatek secured victory on serve and equalled her 18-match winning streak on the sport's slowest surface between Stuttgart and Warsaw in 2022. Swiatek, who saved a match point to beat former world number one Naomi Osaka in the second round, has lost 14 games since and will be the favourite to prevail at the weekend. "For sure something changed. I adjusted better to the court. It's not easy to play the first matches at a Grand Slam because the atmosphere is different than other tournaments," she said. "Against Naomi I didn't have time to get into it. She was intense from the beginning and put pressure on me. I'm happy I handled it well. "After that the weather changed. It helps my game I feel. I just gained confidence, I would say."

Iga Swiatek beats American Coco Gauff to reach third straight French Open final

World number one Iga Swiatek continued her dominant run at the 2024 French Open with an easy win over Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinal match on Tuesday (June 4). Swiatek didn't break much sweat as she went past the Czech Republic player Vondrousova in straight sets, winning 6-0, 6-2. The defending champion will now lock horns with Coco Gauff in the semifinals,&nbsp;against whom she has an impeccable record. The high-voltage clash will be held on Thursday (June 6).

Talking about the contest, Vondrousova never looked threatening enough in front of Swaitek. The No. 1 ranked player didn't give her opposition any chance as she won the opening set 6-0.&nbsp;While the Czech did get on board in the second and penultimate set following a rare Swiatek mistake and earned a break point in the next game, however, it wasn't enough to prevent her ruthless rival. With the win, Swiatek extended her winning run on clay to 17 games.

Swiatek also improved her career record in Paris to 33-2. In addition, the 23-year-old is on the cusp to become the first woman to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen three years in a row (since Justine Henin who achieved the feat from 2005-07).

After the match, Swiatekn told, "Honestly I think everything worked. I feel like I've been serving better than in previous rounds and that gave me an extra boost of confidence. Today it was pretty straightforward. I'm happy I kept my focus. I felt like I was in the zone today."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-french-open-2024-coco-gauff-scripts-remarkable-comeback-to-beat-ons-jabeur-and-enter-semifinals-728654">French Open 2024: Coco Gauff scripts remarkable comeback to beat Ons Jabeur and enter semifinals</a>

The Poland player has lost only one set in this year's French Open and, thus, will start as overwhelming favourite versus Gauff in the semifinal fixture. On the other hand, Gauff has lost 10 of her previous 11 meetings with Swaitek, all in straight sets, including the 2022 French Open final. Thus, the American will have her back against the wall and needs a herculean task to go past a rampant Swiatek.

World number one Iga Swiatek continued her dominant run at the 2024 French Open with an easy win over Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinal match on Tuesday (June 4).

World number one Iga Swiatek continued her dominant run at the 2024 French Open with an easy win over Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinal match on Tuesday (June 4). Swiatek didn't break much sweat as she went past the Czech Republic player Vondrousova in straight sets, winning 6-0, 6-2. The defending champion will now lock horns with Coco Gauff in the semifinals, against whom she has an impeccable record. The high-voltage clash will be held on Thursday (June 6). Talking about the contest, Vondrousova never looked threatening enough in front of Swaitek. The No. 1 ranked player didn't give her opposition any chance as she won the opening set 6-0. While the Czech did get on board in the second and penultimate set following a rare Swiatek mistake and earned a break point in the next game, however, it wasn't enough to prevent her ruthless rival. With the win, Swiatek extended her winning run on clay to 17 games. Swiatek also improved her career record in Paris to 33-2. In addition, the 23-year-old is on the cusp to become the first woman to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen three years in a row (since Justine Henin who achieved the feat from 2005-07). After the match, Swiatekn told, "Honestly I think everything worked. I feel like I've been serving better than in previous rounds and that gave me an extra boost of confidence. Today it was pretty straightforward. I'm happy I kept my focus. I felt like I was in the zone today." Also read: French Open 2024: Coco Gauff scripts remarkable comeback to beat Ons Jabeur and enter semifinals The Poland player has lost only one set in this year's French Open and, thus, will start as overwhelming favourite versus Gauff in the semifinal fixture. On the other hand, Gauff has lost 10 of her previous 11 meetings with Swaitek, all in straight sets, including the 2022 French Open final. Thus, the American will have her back against the wall and needs a herculean task to go past a rampant Swiatek.

French Open: Defending champion Iga Swiatek crushes Marketa Vondrousova to storm into semifinals

Jannik Sinner took time to get his engine going before motoring into the French Open quarter-finals while defending champion Iga Swiatek raced through on Sunday as scheduling at the Grand Slam came under scrutiny after Novak Djokovic's overnight marathon.

Second seed Sinner kept his hopes of taking Djokovic's top ranking alive with a battling 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-1 win over local favourite Corentin Moutet in front of partisan fans on Court Philippe Chatrier.

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With Roland Garros still abuzz after an epic duel where Djokovic prevailed after the tournament's latest finish at just past three a.m local time, Swiatek provided a masterclass to beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0 6-0 in 40 minutes.

American Coco Gauff was not as ruthless as her Polish rival but equally efficient as she powered past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1 6-2 in an hour before Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova mowed down Serbian Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2.

Ons Jabeur continued her quest to win an elusive maiden Grand Slam by taking out Danish player Clara Tauson 6-4 6-4 before breaking into a song with her fans as matches were wrapped up in double quick time.

It was a largely a similar tune on the men's side too, as third seed Carlos Alcaraz thumped Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 6-3 6-1 to set up a rematch of his 2023 quarter-final with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Matteo Arnaldi 3-6 7-6(4) 6-2 6-2.

"I love these kinds of matches," Alcaraz said. "Hopefully the crowd enjoys (it) as much as I'm going to. Let's see how it's going to be."

Alcaraz's entertaining win meant the entire day session for singles on Court Philippe Chatrier was completed in exactly four hours, 29 minutes less than Djokovic needed to defeat Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a five-setter overnight.

<h2>Scheduling Rethink</h2>

The late finish came under criticism as Swiatek and Gauff said that Grand Slams needed a scheduling rethink.

There were more complaints on social media as fans were left twiddling their thumbs for hours before the night session, where Sinner sent the last local hope Moutet packing.

"I was always one of the players that said that we should start a little bit earlier," Swiatek said of the Djokovic match. "I don't know if fans are watching these matches if they have to go to work next day when the matches are finishing at two or three a.m."

Organisers were forced to add a match on the main showcourt before Djokovic played due to rain delays.

"It's a complicated thing, but for the health and safety of the players, it would be in the sport's best interest to try to avoid those matches finishing - or starting - after a certain time," Gauff said.

Grigor Dimitrov later showed it was never too late to break new ground, as the in-form Bulgarian 10th seed outlasted Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5) 6-4 7-6(3) to reach his first quarter-final at the French Open and complete his set of Grand Slam last eight appearances.

Jannik Sinner took time to get his engine going before motoring into the French Open quarter-finals while defending champion Iga Swiatek raced through on Sunday as scheduling at the Grand Slam came under scrutiny after Novak Djokovic's overnight marathon.

Jannik Sinner took time to get his engine going before motoring into the French Open quarter-finals while defending champion Iga Swiatek raced through on Sunday as scheduling at the Grand Slam came under scrutiny after Novak Djokovic's overnight marathon. Second seed Sinner kept his hopes of taking Djokovic's top ranking alive with a battling 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-1 win over local favourite Corentin Moutet in front of partisan fans on Court Philippe Chatrier. ALSO READ: French Open: Carlos Alcaraz blows away Auger-Aliassime to set up quarter-final clash against Tsitsipas With Roland Garros still abuzz after an epic duel where Djokovic prevailed after the tournament's latest finish at just past three a.m local time, Swiatek provided a masterclass to beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0 6-0 in 40 minutes. American Coco Gauff was not as ruthless as her Polish rival but equally efficient as she powered past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1 6-2 in an hour before Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova mowed down Serbian Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2. Ons Jabeur continued her quest to win an elusive maiden Grand Slam by taking out Danish player Clara Tauson 6-4 6-4 before breaking into a song with her fans as matches were wrapped up in double quick time. It was a largely a similar tune on the men's side too, as third seed Carlos Alcaraz thumped Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 6-3 6-1 to set up a rematch of his 2023 quarter-final with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Matteo Arnaldi 3-6 7-6(4) 6-2 6-2. "I love these kinds of matches," Alcaraz said. "Hopefully the crowd enjoys (it) as much as I'm going to. Let's see how it's going to be." Alcaraz's entertaining win meant the entire day session for singles on Court Philippe Chatrier was completed in exactly four hours, 29 minutes less than Djokovic needed to defeat Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a five-setter overnight. Scheduling Rethink The late finish came under criticism as Swiatek and Gauff said that Grand Slams needed a scheduling rethink. There were more complaints on social media as fans were left twiddling their thumbs for hours before the night session, where Sinner sent the last local hope Moutet packing. "I was always one of the players that said that we should start a little bit earlier," Swiatek said of the Djokovic match. "I don't know if fans are watching these matches if they have to go to work next day when the matches are finishing at two or three a.m." Organisers were forced to add a match on the main showcourt before Djokovic played due to rain delays. "It's a complicated thing, but for the health and safety of the players, it would be in the sport's best interest to try to avoid those matches finishing - or starting - after a certain time," Gauff said. Grigor Dimitrov later showed it was never too late to break new ground, as the in-form Bulgarian 10th seed outlasted Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5) 6-4 7-6(3) to reach his first quarter-final at the French Open and complete his set of Grand Slam last eight appearances.

Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek race to French Open quarters as scheduling comes under scrutiny

As the French Open announced stricter measures Thursday to clamp down on inappropriate fan behaviour, players had varying stances on a polarising issue with Iga Swiatek told by one rival "she cannot complain".&nbsp;

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said action would be taken to weed out troublemakers following complaints by Swiatek, the women's defending champion, and David Goffin.

"We're happy to see there's an atmosphere, emotions and that the spectators are there. However, we will be uncompromising with respect to the players and the game," said Mauresmo.&nbsp;

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"If there's the slightest behaviour that oversteps the mark, it will be the exit," asserted Mauresmo, while acknowledging that "identifying the person is not always easy".

Swiatek scolded spectators in her on-court interview for making noise during several points of her tense second-round win over Naomi Osaka.

But Paula Badosa, who will face second seed Aryna Sabalenka in round three, suggested Swiatek has it better than most given her status as the world number one and a four-time Grand Slam winner.

Swiatek has not played on any court other than Philippe Chatrier or Suzanne Lenglen since her second-round match of the 2021 French Open.

"I think she cannot complain, because I played Court 8 and 9 and you can hear everything," said Spain's Badosa, the former world number two.

"Like, I can hear Suzanne Lenglen, Philippe Chatrier, Court 6, 7 during the points. I think she's very lucky she can play all the time on Philippe Chatrier and she's okay with that.&nbsp;

"But I don't mind. As I said, I played in small courts these days, and I was hearing so much noise. In that moment, I'm just so focused on myself and on my match that it doesn't really bother me."

Badosa recalled the 2020 and 2021 editions of the tournament, when fan capacity was reduced due to Covid-19 restrictions and matches at times were played in front of empty stands.&nbsp;

"Honestly, I like when the fans cheer and all this. I think I get pumped," she said.

"Look, we had a very tough situation years ago when we were playing without fans with the Covid situation, so now, for me, I'm so happy they're back and think they're very important for our sport."

<h2>- 'Quiet or super loud' -</h2>

Daniil Medvedev sympathised with Swiatek's frustration at being distracted by the crowd at key moments, pointing out the fine margins between winning and losing.

"If someone screams in your ear, your serve, you could double fault. That's as easy as that. That's not good," said Medvedev.

"Now what happens is that 95% of matches, tournaments, it's quiet. And then when suddenly you come to Roland Garros and it's not, it disturbs you, and it's a Grand Slam so you get more stress and it's not easy."

"There is no in between," he continued.

"It either should be quiet or super loud but all the time, and then we would get used to it, I would get used to it also, and we would not actually complain about it."

Goffin claimed he was spat at by a spectator as he defeated French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round on Tuesday.

Mauresmo, a former world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion, said there would be "no hesitation" to remove anyone caught throwing something at a player.

She said it would be at an umpire's discretion how to handle other disruptive spectators, but called for them to be sterner while announcing alcohol will now be prohibited in the stands.

"There will likely be situations when it comes down to judgement," said Mauresmo.

"Throwing something at a player, you're out. Expressing yourself during a point is a no-no, we're going to try and limit that as much as possible.&nbsp;

"The umpires have tighter, even more precise instructions on keeping the audience under control. It's part of the role of the umpire to manage that too."

As the French Open announced stricter measures Thursday to clamp down on inappropriate fan behaviour, players had varying stances on a polarising issue with Iga Swiatek told by one rival "she cannot complain".

As the French Open announced stricter measures Thursday to clamp down on inappropriate fan behaviour, players had varying stances on a polarising issue with Iga Swiatek told by one rival "she cannot complain". Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said action would be taken to weed out troublemakers following complaints by Swiatek, the women's defending champion, and David Goffin. "We're happy to see there's an atmosphere, emotions and that the spectators are there. However, we will be uncompromising with respect to the players and the game," said Mauresmo. Also Read: French Open 2024: Defending champion Novak Djokovic enters third round with straight-sets victory "If there's the slightest behaviour that oversteps the mark, it will be the exit," asserted Mauresmo, while acknowledging that "identifying the person is not always easy". Swiatek scolded spectators in her on-court interview for making noise during several points of her tense second-round win over Naomi Osaka. But Paula Badosa, who will face second seed Aryna Sabalenka in round three, suggested Swiatek has it better than most given her status as the world number one and a four-time Grand Slam winner. Swiatek has not played on any court other than Philippe Chatrier or Suzanne Lenglen since her second-round match of the 2021 French Open. "I think she cannot complain, because I played Court 8 and 9 and you can hear everything," said Spain's Badosa, the former world number two. "Like, I can hear Suzanne Lenglen, Philippe Chatrier, Court 6, 7 during the points. I think she's very lucky she can play all the time on Philippe Chatrier and she's okay with that. "But I don't mind. As I said, I played in small courts these days, and I was hearing so much noise. In that moment, I'm just so focused on myself and on my match that it doesn't really bother me." Badosa recalled the 2020 and 2021 editions of the tournament, when fan capacity was reduced due to Covid-19 restrictions and matches at times were played in front of empty stands. "Honestly, I like when the fans cheer and all this. I think I get pumped," she said. "Look, we had a very tough situation years ago when we were playing without fans with the Covid situation, so now, for me, I'm so happy they're back and think they're very important for our sport." - 'Quiet or super loud' - Daniil Medvedev sympathised with Swiatek's frustration at being distracted by the crowd at key moments, pointing out the fine margins between winning and losing. "If someone screams in your ear, your serve, you could double fault. That's as easy as that. That's not good," said Medvedev. "Now what happens is that 95% of matches, tournaments, it's quiet. And then when suddenly you come to Roland Garros and it's not, it disturbs you, and it's a Grand Slam so you get more stress and it's not easy." "There is no in between," he continued. "It either should be quiet or super loud but all the time, and then we would get used to it, I would get used to it also, and we would not actually complain about it." Goffin claimed he was spat at by a spectator as he defeated French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round on Tuesday. Mauresmo, a former world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion, said there would be "no hesitation" to remove anyone caught throwing something at a player. She said it would be at an umpire's discretion how to handle other disruptive spectators, but called for them to be sterner while announcing alcohol will now be prohibited in the stands. "There will likely be situations when it comes down to judgement," said Mauresmo. "Throwing something at a player, you're out. Expressing yourself during a point is a no-no, we're going to try and limit that as much as possible. "The umpires have tighter, even more precise instructions on keeping the audience under control. It's part of the role of the umpire to manage that too."

French Open 2024: Organisers vow stricter measures after players complain of unruly fans

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed to the brink by fellow four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka but secured a 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 victory after saving a match point in a high-voltage second-round match at Roland Garros on Wednesday. In a clash worthy of a final between the current and former world number one, Swiatek showed the steely grit she possesses in abundance but has rarely needed at her favourite major, to extend her streak to 16 wins after triumphs in 2022 and 2023.

"It's hard to have any logical thoughts... it was really intense and on a really high level. I was in huge trouble in the third set but I managed somehow to win this match. I'm glad that I didn't give up," Swiatek told reporters.

"I honestly didn't believe I could win, because I would be pretty naive. But it didn't change the fact that I just tried to do work to play better. I actually managed to be more focused at the end of the match, which went pretty badly. "In first and second set I felt like I wasn't completely in the zone. When I was under the biggest pressure I was able to switch that and maybe that made the difference."

Swiatek's clay prowess makes her a firm favourite against anyone but the 22-year-old top seed, who entered the contest on the back of 13 wins and titles in Madrid and Rome, faced huge pressure and was a point away from dropping the first set.

In testing conditions under the roof on Philippe Chatrier, the powerful Osaka posed a litany of problems in one of her best matches since coming back this year from a maternity break but did not capitalise while up 40-30 at 5-4, hitting a shot long.

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Three-times champion Swiatek raised her level and ran away with the opening set in the tiebreak but the Pole found herself trailing 4-0 in the next set as the 26-year-old Osaka shrugged off any disappointment to comfortably level the contest.

Osaka saved two break points to hold at the start of the decider and fired a sublime backhand crosscourt winner in the next game to pounce for a 2-0 lead, which the Japanese player extended on serve after another almighty battle.

A rattled Swiatek clawed her way back from 5-2 down and saved a match point before taking full advantage of late errors from a nervy Osaka's racket to complete a famous victory and avoid her earliest exit from the Grand Slam.

Defeat was a bitter blow for Osaka, who produced one of her most memorable performances on her least favourite surface after fully dedicating herself to it in the build-up to the major and left the main showcourt to a standing ovation from the crowd.

"The journey that she had. I'm happy she's back, because her tennis deserves to be on the biggest stages. She deserves to be there," Swiatek added. "It wasn't easy on her, but if she's going to play better and better, it means that she did some work to improve... She played amazing today. I have big respect for her coming back."

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed to the brink by fellow four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka but secured a 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 victory after saving a match point in a high-voltage second-round match at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed to the brink by fellow four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka but secured a 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 victory after saving a match point in a high-voltage second-round match at Roland Garros on Wednesday. In a clash worthy of a final between the current and former world number one, Swiatek showed the steely grit she possesses in abundance but has rarely needed at her favourite major, to extend her streak to 16 wins after triumphs in 2022 and 2023. "It's hard to have any logical thoughts... it was really intense and on a really high level. I was in huge trouble in the third set but I managed somehow to win this match. I'm glad that I didn't give up," Swiatek told reporters. "I honestly didn't believe I could win, because I would be pretty naive. But it didn't change the fact that I just tried to do work to play better. I actually managed to be more focused at the end of the match, which went pretty badly. "In first and second set I felt like I wasn't completely in the zone. When I was under the biggest pressure I was able to switch that and maybe that made the difference." Swiatek's clay prowess makes her a firm favourite against anyone but the 22-year-old top seed, who entered the contest on the back of 13 wins and titles in Madrid and Rome, faced huge pressure and was a point away from dropping the first set. In testing conditions under the roof on Philippe Chatrier, the powerful Osaka posed a litany of problems in one of her best matches since coming back this year from a maternity break but did not capitalise while up 40-30 at 5-4, hitting a shot long. Also read: French Open: Carlos Alcaraz overcomes De Jong scare, advances to third round Three-times champion Swiatek raised her level and ran away with the opening set in the tiebreak but the Pole found herself trailing 4-0 in the next set as the 26-year-old Osaka shrugged off any disappointment to comfortably level the contest. Osaka saved two break points to hold at the start of the decider and fired a sublime backhand crosscourt winner in the next game to pounce for a 2-0 lead, which the Japanese player extended on serve after another almighty battle. A rattled Swiatek clawed her way back from 5-2 down and saved a match point before taking full advantage of late errors from a nervy Osaka's racket to complete a famous victory and avoid her earliest exit from the Grand Slam. Defeat was a bitter blow for Osaka, who produced one of her most memorable performances on her least favourite surface after fully dedicating herself to it in the build-up to the major and left the main showcourt to a standing ovation from the crowd. "The journey that she had. I'm happy she's back, because her tennis deserves to be on the biggest stages. She deserves to be there," Swiatek added. "It wasn't easy on her, but if she's going to play better and better, it means that she did some work to improve... She played amazing today. I have big respect for her coming back."

Defending champion Iga Swiatek survives almighty scare to pip Naomi Osaka in French Open thriller

Naomi Osaka lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in a thrilling third-round match at the 2024 French Open on Wednesday (May 29). Osaka was up against the Polish player and had a huge task to stop the defending champion Swiatek's run and lost the match 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 5-7. The match lasted for nearly three hours as the winner was decided in the last set. Despite her loss, Osaka stated that she is 'proud' of herself for the fight she gave to Swiatek.

During the contest, Osaka put Swiatek under pressure on several occasions but still couldn't have the last laugh. Notably, she broke her opposition's serve five out of nine times. The Japanese player lost the opening set in a tiebreaker but came back strongly to win the second before leading in the final set. At 5-4, 40-30, Osaka was on the cusp of pulling off a huge win when Swiatek earned back-to-back service breaks to get the better of Osaka. Despite the loss, Osaka is proud of her performance&nbsp;and said that she has got better after returning to court post motherhood.

“You know I have my little book, right? In it today I just wrote: ‘I'm proud of you’,” Osaka said after the contest.

She further mentioned, "I think for me, like, saying that to myself, it gives me a lot of power, because ... sometimes I curse myself out in my head, and it's quite a negative feeling. I would just say I'm proud of the journey. Hopefully it will get more and more positive."

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The 26-year-old admitted that the face-off versus Swiatek would be memorable due to the quality of the match and crowd support.

“(It was) probably the most fun match that I have played so far. It just felt really incredible, the atmosphere, and how fun I guess everyone in the crowd was having too. It was definitely very memorable for me,” Osaka added.

Swiatek will now face the winner of the match between Croatia’s Jana Fett and Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova in the fourth round at the Roland Garros.

Naomi Osaka lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in a thrilling third-round match at the 2024 French Open on Wednesday (May 29). Osaka was up against the Polish player and had a huge task to stop the defending champion Swiatek's run and lost the match 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 5-7.

Naomi Osaka lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in a thrilling third-round match at the 2024 French Open on Wednesday (May 29). Osaka was up against the Polish player and had a huge task to stop the defending champion Swiatek's run and lost the match 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 5-7. The match lasted for nearly three hours as the winner was decided in the last set. Despite her loss, Osaka stated that she is 'proud' of herself for the fight she gave to Swiatek. During the contest, Osaka put Swiatek under pressure on several occasions but still couldn't have the last laugh. Notably, she broke her opposition's serve five out of nine times. The Japanese player lost the opening set in a tiebreaker but came back strongly to win the second before leading in the final set. At 5-4, 40-30, Osaka was on the cusp of pulling off a huge win when Swiatek earned back-to-back service breaks to get the better of Osaka. Despite the loss, Osaka is proud of her performance and said that she has got better after returning to court post motherhood. “You know I have my little book, right? In it today I just wrote: ‘I'm proud of you’,” Osaka said after the contest. She further mentioned, "I think for me, like, saying that to myself, it gives me a lot of power, because ... sometimes I curse myself out in my head, and it's quite a negative feeling. I would just say I'm proud of the journey. Hopefully it will get more and more positive." Also read: French Open: Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff enter third round with straight sets wins The 26-year-old admitted that the face-off versus Swiatek would be memorable due to the quality of the match and crowd support. “(It was) probably the most fun match that I have played so far. It just felt really incredible, the atmosphere, and how fun I guess everyone in the crowd was having too. It was definitely very memorable for me,” Osaka added. Swiatek will now face the winner of the match between Croatia’s Jana Fett and Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova in the fourth round at the Roland Garros.

French Open 2024: Naomi Osaka 'proud' of herself despite narrow defeat vs Iga Swiatek

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal.

Osaka, a four-time major winner who has yet to get past the third round in Paris, needed three sets to defeat Italy's 48th-ranked Lucia Bronzetti on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.

The 26-year-old fired 31 winners, including six aces, and 45 unforced errors in a match where she gave up a 4-0 lead in the decider before finding herself 5-4 down.

However, she rallied strongly to register her first win at a Grand Slam since the 2022 Australian Open.

"It feels really nice to be back and I'm just really grateful to be here in front of everybody," said Osaka.

"I think there were moments when I played really well."

The Japanese star, a former world number one now at 134 in the rankings, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French capital.

In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the tournament in order to protect her mental health.

A year later, she fell in the first round before leaving the sport in September 2022 for 16 months to start a family.

Top seed Swiatek, chasing a fourth French Open, will face Osaka if the Pole gets past qualifier Leolia Jeanjean on Monday.

Later Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, begins his campaign against J.J. Wolf of the United States, a lucky loser from qualifying.

Andy Murray and his fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka will close proceedings in the night session.

World number three Alcaraz made the semi-finals last year where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, revealing later that the prospect of facing the world number one had caused so much tension that his body cramped up during the match.

Wolf, ranked at 107, has won just one match on the tour in 2024. His only other main draw appearance at the French Open ended in a first-round exit last year.

Wawrinka, the 39-year-old 2015 champion, and 2016 runner-up Murray meet for the 23rd time, a rivalry which has included two semi-final clashes in Paris.

Murray is playing his final season on tour but whether or not 14-time champion Nadal joins him in retirement later this year remains to be seen.

<h2>Uncomfortable position</h2>

Meanwhile, Nadal, who will be 38 on June 3, revealed Saturday that he hasn't committed himself to retiring and wanted to "100% keep the door open".

He missed the tournament in 2023 with injury.

His 2024 appearance may be brief after he was drawn to face fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev on Monday.

"It's a big, big chance that this is going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it's 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not. I cannot predict what's going on," Nadal said.

The Spanish legend has racked up 112 wins in 115 matches at the tournament since his title-winning 2005 debut when he was just 19.

He has 22 Grand Slam titles -- second only to Djokovic's 24 on the all-time men's list -- but his career has been plagued by injuries.

Nadal has played just four tournaments since January last year after suffering a hip injury and then a muscle tear.

As a result, his ranking has slumped to 275 in the world and he comes into the French Open unseeded.

"I have been going through a long process of recovery with a very difficult injury, almost two years of suffering, but I feel better now," he added.

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"I have fewer limitations than three, four weeks ago, without a doubt."

French Open organisers were ready to stage a tribute ceremony for Nadal before he revealed that he could play on.

"We were ready to press the button on it," said tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.

"But it's Rafa who manages his timing, we follow what he wants. We wouldn't want to put him in an uncomfortable position."

In early action on Monday, two-time quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, defeated Japan's Taro Daniel in four sets.

French number one Ugo Humbert, the 17th seed, crashed out 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-5 to Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal.

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal. Osaka, a four-time major winner who has yet to get past the third round in Paris, needed three sets to defeat Italy's 48th-ranked Lucia Bronzetti on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. The 26-year-old fired 31 winners, including six aces, and 45 unforced errors in a match where she gave up a 4-0 lead in the decider before finding herself 5-4 down. However, she rallied strongly to register her first win at a Grand Slam since the 2022 Australian Open. "It feels really nice to be back and I'm just really grateful to be here in front of everybody," said Osaka. "I think there were moments when I played really well." The Japanese star, a former world number one now at 134 in the rankings, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French capital. In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the tournament in order to protect her mental health. A year later, she fell in the first round before leaving the sport in September 2022 for 16 months to start a family. Top seed Swiatek, chasing a fourth French Open, will face Osaka if the Pole gets past qualifier Leolia Jeanjean on Monday. Later Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, begins his campaign against J.J. Wolf of the United States, a lucky loser from qualifying. Andy Murray and his fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka will close proceedings in the night session. World number three Alcaraz made the semi-finals last year where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, revealing later that the prospect of facing the world number one had caused so much tension that his body cramped up during the match. Wolf, ranked at 107, has won just one match on the tour in 2024. His only other main draw appearance at the French Open ended in a first-round exit last year. Wawrinka, the 39-year-old 2015 champion, and 2016 runner-up Murray meet for the 23rd time, a rivalry which has included two semi-final clashes in Paris. Murray is playing his final season on tour but whether or not 14-time champion Nadal joins him in retirement later this year remains to be seen. Uncomfortable position Meanwhile, Nadal, who will be 38 on June 3, revealed Saturday that he hasn't committed himself to retiring and wanted to "100% keep the door open". He missed the tournament in 2023 with injury. His 2024 appearance may be brief after he was drawn to face fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev on Monday. "It's a big, big chance that this is going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it's 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not. I cannot predict what's going on," Nadal said. The Spanish legend has racked up 112 wins in 115 matches at the tournament since his title-winning 2005 debut when he was just 19. He has 22 Grand Slam titles -- second only to Djokovic's 24 on the all-time men's list -- but his career has been plagued by injuries. Nadal has played just four tournaments since January last year after suffering a hip injury and then a muscle tear. As a result, his ranking has slumped to 275 in the world and he comes into the French Open unseeded. "I have been going through a long process of recovery with a very difficult injury, almost two years of suffering, but I feel better now," he added. ALSO READ | IPL 2024 BIG FINAL, Kolkata Knight Riders vs SunRisers Hyderabad – Match preview and result prediction "I have fewer limitations than three, four weeks ago, without a doubt." French Open organisers were ready to stage a tribute ceremony for Nadal before he revealed that he could play on. "We were ready to press the button on it," said tournament director Amelie Mauresmo. "But it's Rafa who manages his timing, we follow what he wants. We wouldn't want to put him in an uncomfortable position." In early action on Monday, two-time quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, defeated Japan's Taro Daniel in four sets. French number one Ugo Humbert, the 17th seed, crashed out 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-5 to Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.

French Open: Naomi Osaka off to winning start with first round win; likely to face Iga Swiatek in next round

Rafael Nadal will face world number four Alexander Zverev in a blockbuster first round match at his farewell French Open while women's champion Iga Swiatek and fellow four-time major winner Naomi Osaka are on a second round collision course.

Defending men's champion and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic will face French veteran Pierre Hugues-Herbert in his opener.

Nadal, who has won Roland Garros on 14 occasions, is unseeded after injury saw his ranking plummet to 276.

He and Zverev met in the semi-finals in 2022 when the German was forced to retire after suffering a serious ankle injury.

Nadal, the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, will turn 38 next week and this season will be his last on tour.

He holds a 7-3 winning head-to-head record against Germany's Zverev with five of those victories coming on clay.

Zverev, 27, arrives in Paris on the back of lifting the Rome Open title last weekend.

"I'm going to play the French Open thinking that I can give my all, 100 per cent," said Nadal after a second round exit in Rome last week.

As well as 14 titles in Paris, Nadal can boast a record of 112 wins and just three losses, two of which came against Djokovic who will be chasing a fourth French Open title.

"I imagine that looking at the draw, Nadal is not going to be delighted," said French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.&nbsp;

"Zverev is in very good shape, obviously it looks very complicated. But Nadal is a warrior, an extraordinary competitor. It's Rafa so anything is possible."

Djokovic turned 37 on Wednesday and marked the occasion by winning the 1,100th match of his career in Geneva.

The Serb has yet to win a title in 2024 with runs to the semi-finals at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters his best performances.

Following Thursday's draw, Djokovic is seeded to face Zverev in the semi-finals.

World number two Jannik Sinner, who took Djokovic's Australian Open title in January, faces&nbsp;Christopher Eubanks of the United States.

Third-seeded&nbsp;Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023,&nbsp;plays a qualifier.

Sinner and Alcaraz are seeded to meet in the semi-finals but both men have been suffering from injuries which forced them to skip the Rome event.

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<h2>Murray v Wawrinka</h2>

Andy Murray, the 2016 runner-up, is also competing at the tournament for the final time.

The 37-year-old tackles 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, 39, in a battle of grizzled Grand Slam veterans.

The pair have met 22 times in a two-decade rivalry with Murray boasting a 13-9 edge.

Three of those clashes have come at Roland Garros with Murray winning in the semi-finals in 2016 while the Swiss came out on top in the last-four in 2017 and first round in 2020.

In the women's draw, top seed and world number one Swiatek will take on a qualifier with Osaka facing Lucia Bronzetti of Italy in their openers before a potential second round clash.

Swiatek is bidding to win a fifth major and fourth French Open title.

"It feels like home here," said Swiatek who arrives at the tournament with clay-court titles in Madrid and Rome under her belt.&nbsp;

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 134, has never got past the third round in Paris. Bronzetti, the world number 48, has yet to win a main draw in two visits.

Osaka, 26, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French Open.

In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the competition after just one match insisting she was protecting her mental health.

Osaka missed the 2023 edition due to being pregnant before giving birth to a baby girl in July.

Swiatek, meanwhile, is bidding to become the first player to lift three successive women's titles in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka starts against 101-ranked Erika Andreeva of Russia.

Third seed and US Open champion Coco Gauff faces a qualifier in the first round and is seeded to face Swiatek in the semi-finals.

Double Australian Open champion Sabalenka is seeded to take on former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina in the last four.

Rafael Nadal will face world number four Alexander Zverev in a blockbuster first round match at his farewell French Open while women's champion Iga Swiatek and fellow four-time major winner Naomi Osaka are on a second round collision course.

Rafael Nadal will face world number four Alexander Zverev in a blockbuster first round match at his farewell French Open while women's champion Iga Swiatek and fellow four-time major winner Naomi Osaka are on a second round collision course. Defending men's champion and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic will face French veteran Pierre Hugues-Herbert in his opener. Nadal, who has won Roland Garros on 14 occasions, is unseeded after injury saw his ranking plummet to 276. He and Zverev met in the semi-finals in 2022 when the German was forced to retire after suffering a serious ankle injury. Nadal, the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, will turn 38 next week and this season will be his last on tour. He holds a 7-3 winning head-to-head record against Germany's Zverev with five of those victories coming on clay. Zverev, 27, arrives in Paris on the back of lifting the Rome Open title last weekend. "I'm going to play the French Open thinking that I can give my all, 100 per cent," said Nadal after a second round exit in Rome last week. As well as 14 titles in Paris, Nadal can boast a record of 112 wins and just three losses, two of which came against Djokovic who will be chasing a fourth French Open title. "I imagine that looking at the draw, Nadal is not going to be delighted," said French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo. "Zverev is in very good shape, obviously it looks very complicated. But Nadal is a warrior, an extraordinary competitor. It's Rafa so anything is possible." Djokovic turned 37 on Wednesday and marked the occasion by winning the 1,100th match of his career in Geneva. The Serb has yet to win a title in 2024 with runs to the semi-finals at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters his best performances. Following Thursday's draw, Djokovic is seeded to face Zverev in the semi-finals. World number two Jannik Sinner, who took Djokovic's Australian Open title in January, faces Christopher Eubanks of the United States. Third-seeded Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, plays a qualifier. Sinner and Alcaraz are seeded to meet in the semi-finals but both men have been suffering from injuries which forced them to skip the Rome event. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2024: ECB appoints Manchester City's David Young as team psychologist Murray v Wawrinka Andy Murray, the 2016 runner-up, is also competing at the tournament for the final time. The 37-year-old tackles 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, 39, in a battle of grizzled Grand Slam veterans. The pair have met 22 times in a two-decade rivalry with Murray boasting a 13-9 edge. Three of those clashes have come at Roland Garros with Murray winning in the semi-finals in 2016 while the Swiss came out on top in the last-four in 2017 and first round in 2020. In the women's draw, top seed and world number one Swiatek will take on a qualifier with Osaka facing Lucia Bronzetti of Italy in their openers before a potential second round clash. Swiatek is bidding to win a fifth major and fourth French Open title. "It feels like home here," said Swiatek who arrives at the tournament with clay-court titles in Madrid and Rome under her belt. Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 134, has never got past the third round in Paris. Bronzetti, the world number 48, has yet to win a main draw in two visits. Osaka, 26, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French Open. In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the competition after just one match insisting she was protecting her mental health. Osaka missed the 2023 edition due to being pregnant before giving birth to a baby girl in July. Swiatek, meanwhile, is bidding to become the first player to lift three successive women's titles in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007. World number two Aryna Sabalenka starts against 101-ranked Erika Andreeva of Russia. Third seed and US Open champion Coco Gauff faces a qualifier in the first round and is seeded to face Swiatek in the semi-finals. Double Australian Open champion Sabalenka is seeded to take on former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina in the last four.

French Open 2024: Rafael Nadal faces Alexander Zverev; Iga Swiatek, Osaka eye clash

Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final.

World number one Swiatek will be red-hot favourite to successfully defend her Roland Garros crown afer comfortably prevailing on the clay against second-ranked Sabalenka.

In front of a packed centre court crowd Swiatek became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win on the clay surface at Madrid and Rome in the same season.

She can join Williams in a European capital city hat-trick if she wins her fourth French Open title, and third in a row, with the clay-court Grand Slam starting in Paris on May 26.

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"Obviously I am confident. I feel like I'm playing great tennis but that doesn't change the fact that I just want to stay humble," Swiatek told reporters. "Grand Slams are different. There's a different pressure on the court and off the court. Of course, I love to come to Paris and be there. It a great place for me to be and I really enjoy my time there.

"But these are a hard seven matches that you need to win so I don't take anything for granted."

Swiatek won her 12th successive match on clay by besting Belarusian Sabalenka as she did in the recent Madrid final.

The Pole took her winning record over Sabalenka to 8-3 in another hugely impressive display from what has been an almost flawless tournament from the four-time Grand Slam winner, who didn't drop a single set on her way to another championship victory.

Saturday's match was less dramatic than Madrid's three-set thriller as Sabalenka, who has won the two most recent Australian Opens, gave herself too much to do.

Swiatek took the opening set in just 36 minutes in a clinical display of tennis against Sabalenka, who has said repeatedly that Rome is her dream tournament to win.

Going into Saturday's final Swiatek had won 97 percent of her matches in which she went one set ahead since the start of 2022 and Sabalenka didn't help her cause by wasting seven break points over two games in the second set.

After Swiatek broke Sabalenka's serve in game seven it was only a matter of time before she closed out the match and championship.

"I would say the first set I didn't play well at all. I wasn't, I don't know, feeling my game well," Sabalenka told reporters. &nbsp;"In the second set I just tried to stay a little bit more aggressive... I just tried to put her a little bit under pressure.

"I had couple of opportunities to break her serve. Probably if I would take that opportunity, the match would go differently. I didn't use it, so it is how it is."

On Sunday Alexander Zverev bids to win his second Rome title when he faces Nicolas Jarry in the men's final.

Zverev is in his 11th Masters final, equalling Boris Becker's record for the most by a German since the series began in 1990.

Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final.

Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final. World number one Swiatek will be red-hot favourite to successfully defend her Roland Garros crown afer comfortably prevailing on the clay against second-ranked Sabalenka. In front of a packed centre court crowd Swiatek became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win on the clay surface at Madrid and Rome in the same season. She can join Williams in a European capital city hat-trick if she wins her fourth French Open title, and third in a row, with the clay-court Grand Slam starting in Paris on May 26. ALSO READ: Boxing: Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to win undisputed world heavyweight championship "Obviously I am confident. I feel like I'm playing great tennis but that doesn't change the fact that I just want to stay humble," Swiatek told reporters. "Grand Slams are different. There's a different pressure on the court and off the court. Of course, I love to come to Paris and be there. It a great place for me to be and I really enjoy my time there. "But these are a hard seven matches that you need to win so I don't take anything for granted." Swiatek won her 12th successive match on clay by besting Belarusian Sabalenka as she did in the recent Madrid final. The Pole took her winning record over Sabalenka to 8-3 in another hugely impressive display from what has been an almost flawless tournament from the four-time Grand Slam winner, who didn't drop a single set on her way to another championship victory. Saturday's match was less dramatic than Madrid's three-set thriller as Sabalenka, who has won the two most recent Australian Opens, gave herself too much to do. Swiatek took the opening set in just 36 minutes in a clinical display of tennis against Sabalenka, who has said repeatedly that Rome is her dream tournament to win. Going into Saturday's final Swiatek had won 97 percent of her matches in which she went one set ahead since the start of 2022 and Sabalenka didn't help her cause by wasting seven break points over two games in the second set. After Swiatek broke Sabalenka's serve in game seven it was only a matter of time before she closed out the match and championship. "I would say the first set I didn't play well at all. I wasn't, I don't know, feeling my game well," Sabalenka told reporters. "In the second set I just tried to stay a little bit more aggressive... I just tried to put her a little bit under pressure. "I had couple of opportunities to break her serve. Probably if I would take that opportunity, the match would go differently. I didn't use it, so it is how it is." On Sunday Alexander Zverev bids to win his second Rome title when he faces Nicolas Jarry in the men's final. Zverev is in his 11th Masters final, equalling Boris Becker's record for the most by a German since the series began in 1990.

‘Unstoppable’ Iga Swiatek staying humble for 2024 French Open after Rome title win over Aryna Sabalenka

Iga Swiatek won the Rome Open on Saturday by beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in the final to claim her third Foro Italico title.

World number one Swiatek comfortably prevailed on second-ranked Sabalenka in the last major tournament before she defends her French Open crown.

In front of a packed centre court crowd Swiatek won her 36th match of the year and became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win at Madrid and Rome in the same season.

Swiatek will be the red-hot favourite to win her fourth title, and third in a row, at Roland Garros which starts later this month after besting Belarusian Sabalenka as she did at the recent Madrid final.

The Pole took her winning record over Sabalenka to 8-3 in another hugely impressive display from what has been an almost flawless tournament from the four-time Grand Slam champion, who didn't drop a single set on her way to championship victory.

Saturday's match was less dramatic than Madrid's three-set thriller as Sabalenka, who has won the two most recent Australian Opens, gave herself too much to do.

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Swiatek took the opening set in just 36 minutes in a clinical display of tennis against Sabalenka, who has said repeatedly that Rome is her dream tournament to win.

Going into Saturday's final Swiatek had won 97 percent of her matches in which she went one set ahead since the start of 2022 and Sabalenka didn't help her cause by wasting seven break points over two games in the second set.

And after Swiatek broke Sabalenka's serve in game seven it was only a matter of time before she closed out the match and championship.

Iga Swiatek won the Rome Open on Saturday by beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in the final to claim her third Foro Italico title. World number one Swiatek comfortably prevailed on second-ranked Sabalenka in the last major tournament before she defends her French Open crown.

Iga Swiatek won the Rome Open on Saturday by beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in the final to claim her third Foro Italico title. World number one Swiatek comfortably prevailed on second-ranked Sabalenka in the last major tournament before she defends her French Open crown. In front of a packed centre court crowd Swiatek won her 36th match of the year and became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win at Madrid and Rome in the same season. Swiatek will be the red-hot favourite to win her fourth title, and third in a row, at Roland Garros which starts later this month after besting Belarusian Sabalenka as she did at the recent Madrid final. The Pole took her winning record over Sabalenka to 8-3 in another hugely impressive display from what has been an almost flawless tournament from the four-time Grand Slam champion, who didn't drop a single set on her way to championship victory. Saturday's match was less dramatic than Madrid's three-set thriller as Sabalenka, who has won the two most recent Australian Opens, gave herself too much to do. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians coach Mark Boucher reveals 'what next for Rohit Sharma' Swiatek took the opening set in just 36 minutes in a clinical display of tennis against Sabalenka, who has said repeatedly that Rome is her dream tournament to win. Going into Saturday's final Swiatek had won 97 percent of her matches in which she went one set ahead since the start of 2022 and Sabalenka didn't help her cause by wasting seven break points over two games in the second set. And after Swiatek broke Sabalenka's serve in game seven it was only a matter of time before she closed out the match and championship.

Iga Swiatek demolishes Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka to win third Rome title

Iga Swiatek won her 11th straight clay-court match on Thursday as the top seed moved closer to another record with a 6-4, 6-3 semi-final defeat of Coco Gauff at the Rome Open, after Tommy Paul earlier survived a chaotic ending to emerge victorious from his quarter-final encounter with Hubert Hurkacz.

World number one Swiatek now stands one victory away from duplicating the Madrid-Rome clay trophy double achieved by Serena Williams 11 years ago.

The 22-year-old Pole defeated third-seed Gauff for the 10th time in their 11 encounters, with her only loss in the series coming last summer in a Cincinnati semi-final.

Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam winner due to defend her Roland Garros title starting a week from Sunday, will play the Saturday Rome final against either second-seed Aryna Sabalenka or American Danielle Collins.

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The top seed spent one and three-quarter hours in dispatching Gauff, the reigning US Open champion.

Swiatek ended with 26 winners and broke four times.

"I'm not thinking about statistics or history," she said after the victory. "I'm just playing day by day.

"It's easier that way, it lets you play more freely.

"I'll just try to play as good as possible in the final, no matter who it is.

"I won't be thinking of any records, there is still work to do."

<h2>- Breaks aplenty -</h2>

On the men's side, American Paul reached a clay court semi-final for the first time in his career with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 upset of Hurkacz.

The 14th seed is the first American to reach the final four at the Foro Italico since Reilly Opelka in 2021.

The momentum-shifting quarter-final came down to the wire, with a 15-minute final game capping off nearly two and three-quarter hours on court.

Paul finally came through on his fourth match point as Poland's Hurkacz sent a return long.

The match featured 13 breaks of serve, with Paul advancing with 29 winners and 41 unforced errors; and Hurkacz having 22 and 44 respectively.

"I started well but it got away from me in the second and start of the third," Paul said. "I had to stick around in the match. "I found the energy to get it going again. I was hitting my forehand bigger and with more intensity because Hubii can really crush the ball."

Paul will wait for an opponent from sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and Chile's Nicolas Jarry.

Hurkacz, who knocked Rafa Nadal out in the Rome second round, was unable to get his massive serve up to speed as he faced Paul, winner over defending champion Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round.

Hurkacz won the clay title in Estoril last month and suffered only his third loss on clay this spring.

Iga Swiatek won her 11th straight clay-court match on Thursday as the top seed moved closer to another record with a 6-4, 6-3 semi-final defeat of Coco Gauff at the Rome Open, after Tommy Paul earlier survived a chaotic ending to emerge victorious from his quarter-final encounter with Hubert Hurkacz.

Iga Swiatek won her 11th straight clay-court match on Thursday as the top seed moved closer to another record with a 6-4, 6-3 semi-final defeat of Coco Gauff at the Rome Open, after Tommy Paul earlier survived a chaotic ending to emerge victorious from his quarter-final encounter with Hubert Hurkacz. World number one Swiatek now stands one victory away from duplicating the Madrid-Rome clay trophy double achieved by Serena Williams 11 years ago. The 22-year-old Pole defeated third-seed Gauff for the 10th time in their 11 encounters, with her only loss in the series coming last summer in a Cincinnati semi-final. Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam winner due to defend her Roland Garros title starting a week from Sunday, will play the Saturday Rome final against either second-seed Aryna Sabalenka or American Danielle Collins. ALSO READ: France Football keen on awarding Robert Lewandowski with Ballon d’Or – Reports The top seed spent one and three-quarter hours in dispatching Gauff, the reigning US Open champion. Swiatek ended with 26 winners and broke four times. "I'm not thinking about statistics or history," she said after the victory. "I'm just playing day by day. "It's easier that way, it lets you play more freely. "I'll just try to play as good as possible in the final, no matter who it is. "I won't be thinking of any records, there is still work to do." - Breaks aplenty - On the men's side, American Paul reached a clay court semi-final for the first time in his career with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 upset of Hurkacz. The 14th seed is the first American to reach the final four at the Foro Italico since Reilly Opelka in 2021. The momentum-shifting quarter-final came down to the wire, with a 15-minute final game capping off nearly two and three-quarter hours on court. Paul finally came through on his fourth match point as Poland's Hurkacz sent a return long. The match featured 13 breaks of serve, with Paul advancing with 29 winners and 41 unforced errors; and Hurkacz having 22 and 44 respectively. "I started well but it got away from me in the second and start of the third," Paul said. "I had to stick around in the match. "I found the energy to get it going again. I was hitting my forehand bigger and with more intensity because Hubii can really crush the ball." Paul will wait for an opponent from sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and Chile's Nicolas Jarry. Hurkacz, who knocked Rafa Nadal out in the Rome second round, was unable to get his massive serve up to speed as he faced Paul, winner over defending champion Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round. Hurkacz won the clay title in Estoril last month and suffered only his third loss on clay this spring.

Tennis: World no. 1 Iga Swiatek downs Coco Gauff in Rome Open semis

Two-time champion Iga Swiatek eased into the Italian Open semi-finals with a 6-1 6-3 win over 18th seed Madison Keys on Tuesday, and will face American third seed Coco Gauff for a spot in the final. The quarterfinal in Rome was a repeat of Swiatek's recent semi-final clash with America's Keys in Madrid, which ended with the same scoreline.

World number one Swiatek broke serve in the opening game, and while Keys won her next service game to love to make it 2-1, the Polish top-seed won the next four games to take the first set in 26 minutes. Swiatek needed just one break in the second set, which gave her a 3-1 lead, and when the Pole saved four break points in the next game to hold serve, Keys' chance of a comeback ended.

"Honestly I felt really good today, even if I knew that one or two points could change everything," Swiatek said. "I'm glad that I served well because I think when we were kind of even in the games sometimes, I could win two points just by serving. "It's something that doesn't happen often in my game, so today was a good day in terms of that."

Swiatek is aiming to win her fourth title this year having already won the Qatar Open, Indian Wells and the Madrid Open.

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She will face Gauff on Friday after the American beat China's Zheng Qinwen 7-6(4) 6-1 in the other quarter-final on Tuesday. "(Swiatek) is a tough opponent to play, especially on clay. There's a reason why she's number one," Gauff said. "But I feel like I'm getting better with each match. I'm really excited to play the semi-final."

In the remaining quarterfinals on Wednesday, world number two Aryna Sabalenka will face ninth seed Jelena Ostapenko before Victoria Azarenka plays American 13th seed Danielle Collins.

Two-time champion Iga Swiatek eased into the Italian Open semi-finals with a 6-1 6-3 win over 18th seed Madison Keys on Tuesday, and will face American third seed Coco Gauff for a spot in the final.

Two-time champion Iga Swiatek eased into the Italian Open semi-finals with a 6-1 6-3 win over 18th seed Madison Keys on Tuesday, and will face American third seed Coco Gauff for a spot in the final. The quarterfinal in Rome was a repeat of Swiatek's recent semi-final clash with America's Keys in Madrid, which ended with the same scoreline. World number one Swiatek broke serve in the opening game, and while Keys won her next service game to love to make it 2-1, the Polish top-seed won the next four games to take the first set in 26 minutes. Swiatek needed just one break in the second set, which gave her a 3-1 lead, and when the Pole saved four break points in the next game to hold serve, Keys' chance of a comeback ended. "Honestly I felt really good today, even if I knew that one or two points could change everything," Swiatek said. "I'm glad that I served well because I think when we were kind of even in the games sometimes, I could win two points just by serving. "It's something that doesn't happen often in my game, so today was a good day in terms of that." Swiatek is aiming to win her fourth title this year having already won the Qatar Open, Indian Wells and the Madrid Open. Also read: French Open 2024: Simona Halep, Venus Williams, Dominic Thiem miss out on wild cards She will face Gauff on Friday after the American beat China's Zheng Qinwen 7-6(4) 6-1 in the other quarter-final on Tuesday. "(Swiatek) is a tough opponent to play, especially on clay. There's a reason why she's number one," Gauff said. "But I feel like I'm getting better with each match. I'm really excited to play the semi-final." In the remaining quarterfinals on Wednesday, world number two Aryna Sabalenka will face ninth seed Jelena Ostapenko before Victoria Azarenka plays American 13th seed Danielle Collins.

Two-time champion Iga Swiatek enters Italian Open semifinals, to face Coco Gauff

World number one Iga Swiatek edged Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) in a gripping and gruelling Madrid Open final to win the title for the first time on Saturday in what was a repeat of last year's summit clash at the WTA 1000 claycourt tournament.

Sabalenka had won the 2023 final in three sets but it was Swiatek who triumphed this time after saving three championship points to secure her 20th career title and deny the Belarusian a third title on the red clay of the Spanish capital.

The match was the first contest of the season between the top two in the women's rankings and it lived up to expectations, going down as the longest encounter between the two Grand Slam champions at three hours and 11 minutes.

Victory improved Swiatek's record over her Belarusian rival to 7-3 as the three-time&nbsp;French Open champion bagged the only major claycourt title that was missing on her glittering resume.

"Aryna, to many more finals! It's always a challenge playing you. Thanks for always motivating me and forcing me to be a better player," Swiatek said at the trophy presentation.

In the opening set, Sabalenka used her powerful forehand to great effect, firing winners past Swiatek that had the crowd roaring their approval, but the Belarusian struggled to convert break points against the world number one.

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In response, Swiatek was more measured in her approach to constructing points and made the decisive break at 5-5 before serving out the set, clinching it when Sabalenka's return popped up off the netcord and set up an easy winner for the Pole.

Sabalenka raised her intensity in the second set and took a 2-0 lead and nearly went 3-0 up but her first double fault of the match opened the door for Swiatek to get on the board before she broke again to put the set back on serve.

But this time, at 5-4, Sabalenka did not lose her focus as the Belarusian smashed a forehand winner down the line to force a decider and go the distance for the fifth time in six matches at the tournament.

Although the top seeds traded breaks in the final set, there was little to separate the pair until Sabalenka had match points.

However, Swiatek held her nerve when she served to stay in the contest, saving two match points en route to forcing the tiebreak.

Swiatek also had a match point snatched away from her before she clinched victory on her second opportunity when Sabalenka's return went long and the Pole fell to the ground in relief and exhaustion.

"I tried to make this match as long as possible... Hopefully next year it goes to me," Sabalenka said. "Three hours, that's a long one! Hopefully we recover fast for the next tournament."

World number one Iga Swiatek edged Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) in a gripping and gruelling Madrid Open final to win the title for the first time on Saturday in what was a repeat of last year's summit clash at the WTA 1000 claycourt tournament.

World number one Iga Swiatek edged Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) in a gripping and gruelling Madrid Open final to win the title for the first time on Saturday in what was a repeat of last year's summit clash at the WTA 1000 claycourt tournament. Sabalenka had won the 2023 final in three sets but it was Swiatek who triumphed this time after saving three championship points to secure her 20th career title and deny the Belarusian a third title on the red clay of the Spanish capital. The match was the first contest of the season between the top two in the women's rankings and it lived up to expectations, going down as the longest encounter between the two Grand Slam champions at three hours and 11 minutes. Victory improved Swiatek's record over her Belarusian rival to 7-3 as the three-time French Open champion bagged the only major claycourt title that was missing on her glittering resume. "Aryna, to many more finals! It's always a challenge playing you. Thanks for always motivating me and forcing me to be a better player," Swiatek said at the trophy presentation. In the opening set, Sabalenka used her powerful forehand to great effect, firing winners past Swiatek that had the crowd roaring their approval, but the Belarusian struggled to convert break points against the world number one. ALSO READ: Tennis: Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner withdraws from Italian Open due to injury In response, Swiatek was more measured in her approach to constructing points and made the decisive break at 5-5 before serving out the set, clinching it when Sabalenka's return popped up off the netcord and set up an easy winner for the Pole. Sabalenka raised her intensity in the second set and took a 2-0 lead and nearly went 3-0 up but her first double fault of the match opened the door for Swiatek to get on the board before she broke again to put the set back on serve. But this time, at 5-4, Sabalenka did not lose her focus as the Belarusian smashed a forehand winner down the line to force a decider and go the distance for the fifth time in six matches at the tournament. Although the top seeds traded breaks in the final set, there was little to separate the pair until Sabalenka had match points. However, Swiatek held her nerve when she served to stay in the contest, saving two match points en route to forcing the tiebreak. Swiatek also had a match point snatched away from her before she clinched victory on her second opportunity when Sabalenka's return went long and the Pole fell to the ground in relief and exhaustion. "I tried to make this match as long as possible... Hopefully next year it goes to me," Sabalenka said. "Three hours, that's a long one! Hopefully we recover fast for the next tournament."

Tennis: Top seed Iga Swiatek wins maiden Madrid Open title with gritty win over Aryna Sabalenka

Third seed Daniil Medvedev retired injured from his Madrid Open quarter-final clash with Jiri Lehecka on Thursday, a day after Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw from the clay-court tournament.

Earlier women's world number one Iga Swiatek cruised through to a second consecutive Madrid Open final with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys.

Russia's Medvedev needed a medical time-out early in the last eight match and struggled through to the end of the first set with an apparent upper thigh problem, losing it 6-4 before retiring.

Czech Lehecka progressed to his first Masters 1000 semi-final, where he will face Felix Auger Aliassime, who received a walkover after top seed Sinner withdrew Wednesday with a hip problem.

"It's never easy in a match like this," said Lehecka. "If I were to choose the way how to win this match, it wouldn't be like that.

"It's never easy to see your opponent struggling, but at that moment, you just need to focus on yourself, trying to get the maximum level out of yourself."

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Medvedev took an off-court medical timeout after the fifth game, all holds of serve, and when he returned clearly had problems moving freely around the court.

The world number four saved two break points to hold for a 4-3 lead as Lehecka floundered, laughing to himself at his fortune in winning the seventh game despite playing through obvious pain.

The Czech, who knocked-out Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, settled down and capitalised on Medvedev's woes to break in the ninth game for a 5-4 lead, serving it out as his opponent went long.

Medvedev won just four of the last 16 points before deciding to call it a night, with fans left disappointed. The other men's quarter-final set for Thursday had been cancelled after Sinner's withdrawal.

The 28-year-old Medvedev is the defending champion at the Italian Open, which starts next week, while the French Open, the season's second Grand Slam event, gets underway in just over three weeks' time.

Taylor Fritz will face Andrey Rublev in the other semi-final on Friday, after the Russian ousted home favourite Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday.

<h2>- Superb Swiatek -</h2>

Dominant on clay, Swiatek barely put a foot wrong against Keys, making just eight unforced errors in the match to leave the 29-year-old American with virtually no chance.

"I'm really happy that I had such a solid game today," Swiatek said on court after reaching her 11th WTA 1000 final.

"Madison is an amazing player with a really fast game and a big serve, so I wanted to focus on myself and I'm happy I was focussed."

The top seed, triumphant at Doha and Indian Wells, started in unforgiving form.

Swiatek broke to love in the second game and dropped just three of the first 17 points.

Keys, seeded 18th, battled back to hold from 0-30 down for a 3-1 deficit, fighting to stay in the set.

However last year's Madrid runner-up broke again for a 5-1 lead and served it out to wrap up the first set in 31 minutes.

The clinical Swiatek broke for a 2-1 lead in the second set with a superb passing shot and never relinquished her advantage, even though Keys was more competitive.

The 22-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner broke once more to seal her victory when world number 20 Keys went long.

Later reigning champion and second seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Elena Rybakina in the second semi-final, ahead of Saturday's showdown with Swiatek.

Third seed Daniil Medvedev retired injured from his Madrid Open quarter-final clash with Jiri Lehecka on Thursday, a day after Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw from the clay-court tournament.

Third seed Daniil Medvedev retired injured from his Madrid Open quarter-final clash with Jiri Lehecka on Thursday, a day after Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw from the clay-court tournament. Earlier women's world number one Iga Swiatek cruised through to a second consecutive Madrid Open final with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys. Russia's Medvedev needed a medical time-out early in the last eight match and struggled through to the end of the first set with an apparent upper thigh problem, losing it 6-4 before retiring. Czech Lehecka progressed to his first Masters 1000 semi-final, where he will face Felix Auger Aliassime, who received a walkover after top seed Sinner withdrew Wednesday with a hip problem. "It's never easy in a match like this," said Lehecka. "If I were to choose the way how to win this match, it wouldn't be like that. "It's never easy to see your opponent struggling, but at that moment, you just need to focus on yourself, trying to get the maximum level out of yourself." ALSO READ: USA’s Kelley O'Hara - two-time women’s World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, announces retirement Medvedev took an off-court medical timeout after the fifth game, all holds of serve, and when he returned clearly had problems moving freely around the court. The world number four saved two break points to hold for a 4-3 lead as Lehecka floundered, laughing to himself at his fortune in winning the seventh game despite playing through obvious pain. The Czech, who knocked-out Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, settled down and capitalised on Medvedev's woes to break in the ninth game for a 5-4 lead, serving it out as his opponent went long. Medvedev won just four of the last 16 points before deciding to call it a night, with fans left disappointed. The other men's quarter-final set for Thursday had been cancelled after Sinner's withdrawal. The 28-year-old Medvedev is the defending champion at the Italian Open, which starts next week, while the French Open, the season's second Grand Slam event, gets underway in just over three weeks' time. Taylor Fritz will face Andrey Rublev in the other semi-final on Friday, after the Russian ousted home favourite Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday. - Superb Swiatek - Dominant on clay, Swiatek barely put a foot wrong against Keys, making just eight unforced errors in the match to leave the 29-year-old American with virtually no chance. "I'm really happy that I had such a solid game today," Swiatek said on court after reaching her 11th WTA 1000 final. "Madison is an amazing player with a really fast game and a big serve, so I wanted to focus on myself and I'm happy I was focussed." The top seed, triumphant at Doha and Indian Wells, started in unforgiving form. Swiatek broke to love in the second game and dropped just three of the first 17 points. Keys, seeded 18th, battled back to hold from 0-30 down for a 3-1 deficit, fighting to stay in the set. However last year's Madrid runner-up broke again for a 5-1 lead and served it out to wrap up the first set in 31 minutes. The clinical Swiatek broke for a 2-1 lead in the second set with a superb passing shot and never relinquished her advantage, even though Keys was more competitive. The 22-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner broke once more to seal her victory when world number 20 Keys went long. Later reigning champion and second seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Elena Rybakina in the second semi-final, ahead of Saturday's showdown with Swiatek.

Madrid Open: Medvedev retires injured as top seed Iga Swiatek reaches consecutive final

World number one Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a maiden Madrid Open title with an impressive win over China's Wang Xiyu 6-1 6-4 to reach the third round. As a three-time champion at Roland Garros and two-time winner in Rome and Stuttgart, Madrid is the only major title on the European clay circuit 22-year.old

Swiatek is yet to lift, having finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final. Second seed Coco Gauff also advanced with ease into the last 32, demolishing Dutch world number 47 Aranxta Rus 6-0 6-0 in just 51 minutes with a dominating display.

Third round qualification proved a tougher task for 2022 Madrid champion and eighth seed Ons Jabeur, however, who earned a hard-fought 6-4 5-7 6-3 win over Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova over two and a half hours, having failed to convert a match point serving with a 5-4 lead in the second set.

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NADAL ALSO SAILED THROUGH

Rafael&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;thrashed 16-year-old wild card Darwin Blanch 6-1 6-0 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Thursday and will face Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur next. The 22-time Grand Slam champion broke the American at the first opportunity in the second game before grabbing the first set in just 28 minutes.

The American teen committed 27 unforced errors in what was his second ATP tour match after he had made his debut last month in Miami.

"I think today I played against someone with a great future in front of him,"&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;said. "(But) Today he was making mistakes. "I tried to be there and be solid all the time without taking a lot of risks. I'm happy to be through and I wish him all the very best.

"For me after how things developed the last few years, every time I have a chance to be on court on this amazing stadium with unconditional support means a lot to me. Trying to enjoy every moment."

World number one Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a maiden Madrid Open title with an impressive win over China's Wang Xiyu 6-1 6-4 to reach the third round. As a three-time champion at Roland Garros and two-time winner in Rome and Stuttgart, Madrid is the only major title on the European clay circuit 22-year.

World number one Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a maiden Madrid Open title with an impressive win over China's Wang Xiyu 6-1 6-4 to reach the third round. As a three-time champion at Roland Garros and two-time winner in Rome and Stuttgart, Madrid is the only major title on the European clay circuit 22-year.old Swiatek is yet to lift, having finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final. Second seed Coco Gauff also advanced with ease into the last 32, demolishing Dutch world number 47 Aranxta Rus 6-0 6-0 in just 51 minutes with a dominating display. Third round qualification proved a tougher task for 2022 Madrid champion and eighth seed Ons Jabeur, however, who earned a hard-fought 6-4 5-7 6-3 win over Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova over two and a half hours, having failed to convert a match point serving with a 5-4 lead in the second set. Also read: WADA launches independent review of its decision to allow Chinese swimmers in Tokyo Olympics NADAL ALSO SAILED THROUGH Rafael Nadal thrashed 16-year-old wild card Darwin Blanch 6-1 6-0 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Thursday and will face Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur next. The 22-time Grand Slam champion broke the American at the first opportunity in the second game before grabbing the first set in just 28 minutes. The American teen committed 27 unforced errors in what was his second ATP tour match after he had made his debut last month in Miami. "I think today I played against someone with a great future in front of him," Nadal said. "(But) Today he was making mistakes. "I tried to be there and be solid all the time without taking a lot of risks. I'm happy to be through and I wish him all the very best. "For me after how things developed the last few years, every time I have a chance to be on court on this amazing stadium with unconditional support means a lot to me. Trying to enjoy every moment."

Madrid Open: Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff start with easy wins

Elena Rybakina ended defending champion Iga Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in Stuttgart on Saturday to reach the final of the clay-court tournament.

Fourth seed Rybakina came through their semi-final clash 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, stunning the Polish world number one who had captured the last two titles at the German event.

Rybakina will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in Saturday's second semi-final, for the title.

Rybakina now boasts a 4-2 career head-to-head record against four-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek and will be playing in her fifth final of 2024 on Sunday.

"Like always it was a very tough match," Rybakina said of her opponent. "My serve helped me a lot in important moments. I was fighting for the ball.

"It was such a close match. I'm really happy I managed to win and could show a good game."

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Winners of the Stuttgart tournament, sponsored by German automobile company Porsche, receive a car but Rybakina revealed the prize would be of little use.

"I actually don't have a driver's licence," said Rybakina, 24, who has titles to her name this season in Adelaide and Abu Dhabi and runners-up spots at Doha and Miami.

Kostyuk took just one hour 35 minutes to beat world number eight Vondrousova, just a day after coming through a three-set epic against US Open champion and world number three Coco Gauff.

"I don't think a lot of people know but I started my career 0-14 against top 10 players so I'm really trying to catch up," said world number 27 Kostyuk who also eliminated seventh-ranked Zheng Qinwen earlier in the week.

"These are some of the best players in the world in the last year and it's incredible to beat all of them -- and I'm hoping for a Grand Slam too for myself one day."

The 21-year-old Ukrainian will play in her second final of the season, having finished runner-up to Katie Boulter at the San Diego Open in March.

It will be her third career final having claimed her maiden WTA title in Austin last season.

Elena Rybakina ended defending champion Iga Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in Stuttgart on Saturday to reach the final of the clay-court tournament. Fourth seed Rybakina came through their semi-final clash 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, stunning the Polish world number one who had captured the last two titles at the German event.

Elena Rybakina ended defending champion Iga Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in Stuttgart on Saturday to reach the final of the clay-court tournament. Fourth seed Rybakina came through their semi-final clash 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, stunning the Polish world number one who had captured the last two titles at the German event. Rybakina will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in Saturday's second semi-final, for the title. Rybakina now boasts a 4-2 career head-to-head record against four-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek and will be playing in her fifth final of 2024 on Sunday. "Like always it was a very tough match," Rybakina said of her opponent. "My serve helped me a lot in important moments. I was fighting for the ball. "It was such a close match. I'm really happy I managed to win and could show a good game." ALSO READ: 'It's unacceptable': Pep Guardiola goes ballistic on scheduling nightmare after FA Cup win Winners of the Stuttgart tournament, sponsored by German automobile company Porsche, receive a car but Rybakina revealed the prize would be of little use. "I actually don't have a driver's licence," said Rybakina, 24, who has titles to her name this season in Adelaide and Abu Dhabi and runners-up spots at Doha and Miami. Kostyuk took just one hour 35 minutes to beat world number eight Vondrousova, just a day after coming through a three-set epic against US Open champion and world number three Coco Gauff. "I don't think a lot of people know but I started my career 0-14 against top 10 players so I'm really trying to catch up," said world number 27 Kostyuk who also eliminated seventh-ranked Zheng Qinwen earlier in the week. "These are some of the best players in the world in the last year and it's incredible to beat all of them -- and I'm hoping for a Grand Slam too for myself one day." The 21-year-old Ukrainian will play in her second final of the season, having finished runner-up to Katie Boulter at the San Diego Open in March. It will be her third career final having claimed her maiden WTA title in Austin last season.

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Elena Rybakina ends Swiatek's winning run to set up final clash with Marta Kostyuk

World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek took her Stuttgart winning streak to 10 matches on Friday with a straight sets quarter-final victory over Emma Raducanu while title rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff suffered shock defeats.

Top seed Swiatek, the 2022 and 2023 champion at the German clay-court tournament, saw off former US Open champion Raducanu 7-6 (7/2), 6-3.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova beat world number two and three-time Stuttgart runner-up Sabalenka 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

US Open champion Gauff, the world number three, fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.

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The 22-year-old Swiatek needed just over two hours to defeat Raducanu who was playing in her first quarter-final since 2022.

"She started playing at the beginning pretty loose, like she had nothing to lose, and I totally get that. Sometimes it is like that," said Swiatek. "But I knew I was kind of questioning if she's going to be able to keep the same intensity throughout the whole match. It wasn't about service games or return games. I was just waiting for my chances to break back and I was sure that I'm going to get them."

Despite her loss, there were encouraging signs of a return to form for Raducanu.

Her two wins for Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup win against France last weekend followed by two victories in Stuttgart mark the first time she has won four matches in a row since her 2021 US Open title triumph.

The former world number 10 came into Stuttgart ranked at 303. Twelve months ago, Stuttgart proved to be her final event of 2023 before undergoing surgery on both wrists and her ankle.

<h2>- Kostyuk fightback -</h2>

Swiatek will face fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, for a place in the final.

Vondrousova reached her first semi-final since clinching the Wimbledon title last July when she stunned Sabalenka.

The sixth-seeded Czech celebrated her first win over Sabalenka in six years after losing four in a row between 2018 and 2023.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka had been attempting to make the Stuttgart final for a fourth successive year.

The powerful Belarusian crunched 35 winners to Vondrousova's 17, but committed 48 unforced errors compared to 19.

Vondrousova crucially converted seven of eight break points while Sabalenka only capitalised six times from 15 opportunities.

Vondrousova will face Kostyuk for a place in Sunday's final after the 27th-ranked Ukrainian avenged her Australian Open quarter-final loss to Gauff.

The 21-year-old Kostyuk had needed over three hours to defeat Laura Siegemund in the first round before saving five match points to get past Zheng Qinwen in the last 16.

On Friday, she battled back from 4-2 in the second set and 3-1 down in the third while Gauff had to save a total of seven match points.&nbsp;

The Ukrainian carved out 21 break points in all and hit 35 winners as she reached her third semi-final of 2024.

"Well, definitely means a lot, because to be consistent in tennis, it takes a lot of work and a lot of discipline," Kostyuk told wtatennis.com. "Everything around you has to work really well."

World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek took her Stuttgart winning streak to 10 matches on Friday with a straight sets quarter-final victory over Emma Raducanu while title rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff suffered shock defeats.

World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek took her Stuttgart winning streak to 10 matches on Friday with a straight sets quarter-final victory over Emma Raducanu while title rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff suffered shock defeats. Top seed Swiatek, the 2022 and 2023 champion at the German clay-court tournament, saw off former US Open champion Raducanu 7-6 (7/2), 6-3. Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova beat world number two and three-time Stuttgart runner-up Sabalenka 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. US Open champion Gauff, the world number three, fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk. ALSO READ: Swimming: Titmus' fastest 400m freestyle record of 2024 fires warning signs ahead of Paris Olympics The 22-year-old Swiatek needed just over two hours to defeat Raducanu who was playing in her first quarter-final since 2022. "She started playing at the beginning pretty loose, like she had nothing to lose, and I totally get that. Sometimes it is like that," said Swiatek. "But I knew I was kind of questioning if she's going to be able to keep the same intensity throughout the whole match. It wasn't about service games or return games. I was just waiting for my chances to break back and I was sure that I'm going to get them." Despite her loss, there were encouraging signs of a return to form for Raducanu. Her two wins for Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup win against France last weekend followed by two victories in Stuttgart mark the first time she has won four matches in a row since her 2021 US Open title triumph. The former world number 10 came into Stuttgart ranked at 303. Twelve months ago, Stuttgart proved to be her final event of 2023 before undergoing surgery on both wrists and her ankle. - Kostyuk fightback - Swiatek will face fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, for a place in the final. Vondrousova reached her first semi-final since clinching the Wimbledon title last July when she stunned Sabalenka. The sixth-seeded Czech celebrated her first win over Sabalenka in six years after losing four in a row between 2018 and 2023. Australian Open champion Sabalenka had been attempting to make the Stuttgart final for a fourth successive year. The powerful Belarusian crunched 35 winners to Vondrousova's 17, but committed 48 unforced errors compared to 19. Vondrousova crucially converted seven of eight break points while Sabalenka only capitalised six times from 15 opportunities. Vondrousova will face Kostyuk for a place in Sunday's final after the 27th-ranked Ukrainian avenged her Australian Open quarter-final loss to Gauff. The 21-year-old Kostyuk had needed over three hours to defeat Laura Siegemund in the first round before saving five match points to get past Zheng Qinwen in the last 16. On Friday, she battled back from 4-2 in the second set and 3-1 down in the third while Gauff had to save a total of seven match points. The Ukrainian carved out 21 break points in all and hit 35 winners as she reached her third semi-final of 2024. "Well, definitely means a lot, because to be consistent in tennis, it takes a lot of work and a lot of discipline," Kostyuk told wtatennis.com. "Everything around you has to work really well."

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Iga Swiatek continues winning run as Sabalenka, Gauff suffer shock defeats

Third-seeded Casper Ruud defeated 14th-seeded Jordan Thompson 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday in Spain. Ruud, of Norway, won the first five games of the first set and overcame four aces by the Australian to capture the match in 73 minutes. Ruud will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the next round.

Fourth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia was unable to follow up the momentum of his victory over Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, as he dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to 16th-seeded Arthur Fils of France. Other seeded winners included No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, No. 12 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain and No. 13 Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina.

Eleventh-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and 17th-seeded Fabian Marozsan were not as fortunate. The former dropped a 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-1 decision to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, while the latter fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Facundo Diaz Acosta of Argentina.

Tiriac Open

Marton Fucsovics of Hungary recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win over second-seeded Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands to advance to the third round in Bucharest, Romania. Fucsovics fired five aces and overcame two double faults to dispatch Griekspoor in 91 minutes. In the quarterfinals, he will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who upended seventh-seeded Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2.

Wild card Joao Fonseca of Brazil defeated Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot 7-6 (2), 6-2, as he broke Albot's serve three times in four chances.

BMW Open

Second-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark notched a 6-4, 6-2 win over Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia to advance to the third round in Munich. Rune benefited from seven aces and won 92.9 percent of his first-serve points (26 of 28) to capture the match in one hour, 39 minutes.

No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz, No. 4 Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany and No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada were also victorious. Fritz breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alejandro Moro Canas of Sapin, Struff outlasted Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands 7-6 (0), 6-4 and Auger-Aliassime notched a 6-3, 6-2 win over Taro Daniel of Japan.

Cristian Garin of Chile and Swiss qualifier Marc-Andre Huesler also won their matches.

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<h2 data-label="Package" data-qa-component="item-headline" data-rc-highlight="headline" dir="auto" title="WTA roundup: Iga Swiatek remains perfect in Stuttgart">WTA roundup:&nbsp;Iga&nbsp;Swiatek remains perfect in Stuttgart</h2>

No. 1 seed&nbsp;Iga&nbsp;Swiatek of Poland swept past Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Swiatek -- the two-time defending champion who has never lost a match in Stuttgart -- saved 5 of 7 break points while going 4-for-6 in breaking Mertens.

The four-time Grand Slam champion's next opponent will be 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Raducanu, who is on the comeback trail after wrist and ankle surgeries this time last year, beat Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-0, 7-5.

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk saved five match points in the 10th game of the third set while rallying to vanquish Chinese fifth seed Qinwen Zheng 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Italy's Jasmine Paolini upset No. 7 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 7-6 (8), 6-4, while No. 4 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic both advanced.

Third-seeded Casper Ruud defeated 14th-seeded Jordan Thompson 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday in Spain. Ruud, of Norway, won the first five games of the first set and overcame four aces by the Australian to capture the match in 73 minutes.

Third-seeded Casper Ruud defeated 14th-seeded Jordan Thompson 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday in Spain. Ruud, of Norway, won the first five games of the first set and overcame four aces by the Australian to capture the match in 73 minutes. Ruud will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the next round. Fourth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia was unable to follow up the momentum of his victory over Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, as he dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to 16th-seeded Arthur Fils of France. Other seeded winners included No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, No. 12 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain and No. 13 Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina. Eleventh-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and 17th-seeded Fabian Marozsan were not as fortunate. The former dropped a 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-1 decision to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, while the latter fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Facundo Diaz Acosta of Argentina. Tiriac Open Marton Fucsovics of Hungary recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win over second-seeded Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands to advance to the third round in Bucharest, Romania. Fucsovics fired five aces and overcame two double faults to dispatch Griekspoor in 91 minutes. In the quarterfinals, he will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who upended seventh-seeded Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2. Wild card Joao Fonseca of Brazil defeated Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot 7-6 (2), 6-2, as he broke Albot's serve three times in four chances. BMW Open Second-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark notched a 6-4, 6-2 win over Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia to advance to the third round in Munich. Rune benefited from seven aces and won 92.9 percent of his first-serve points (26 of 28) to capture the match in one hour, 39 minutes. No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz, No. 4 Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany and No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada were also victorious. Fritz breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alejandro Moro Canas of Sapin, Struff outlasted Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands 7-6 (0), 6-4 and Auger-Aliassime notched a 6-3, 6-2 win over Taro Daniel of Japan. Cristian Garin of Chile and Swiss qualifier Marc-Andre Huesler also won their matches. Also read: WTA roundup: Young sensation Coco Gauff downs another American in Stuttgart WTA roundup: Iga Swiatek remains perfect in Stuttgart No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland swept past Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Swiatek -- the two-time defending champion who has never lost a match in Stuttgart -- saved 5 of 7 break points while going 4-for-6 in breaking Mertens. The four-time Grand Slam champion's next opponent will be 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Raducanu, who is on the comeback trail after wrist and ankle surgeries this time last year, beat Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-0, 7-5. Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk saved five match points in the 10th game of the third set while rallying to vanquish Chinese fifth seed Qinwen Zheng 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Italy's Jasmine Paolini upset No. 7 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 7-6 (8), 6-4, while No. 4 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic both advanced.

ATP roundup: Norway's Casper Ruud marches ahead in Barcelona

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

U.S. Open champion Gauff looked far from her best early in the match as Sakkari drew first blood after a short rain delay by breaking the American third seed in the ninth game, before securing the opening set with ease.

The players were forced off the court for a longer spell as the showers returned at the start of the second set, but Sakkari picked up from where she left off when the action resumed and tightened her grip on the contest with a double break.

But Gauff was not done and the 20-year-old rediscovered her rhythm in the high-octane second set to save three match points and go level at 5-5, eventually forcing a tie break which she dominated to set up a decider.

Ninth seed Sakkari regrouped and showed her quality in the decisive points after swapping breaks with Gauff early in the third set to prevail in the late-night thriller.

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"I don't want to disrespect Coco, but it would have been amazing if this match was over an hour ago," Sakkari said after the epic battle that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. "I'm going to take this win even though it was in three sets. I was thinking of the finish line in the second set and then things got tricky. But that was an amazing win."

"Coco is such an amazing opponent. She's incredible. She fights for every point. I'm just so happy I'm in the final once again here."

Top seed Swiatek earlier produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 and remain on track for her second title of the year.

"For sure I'm happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. The focus was high throughout and I didn't have any doubts," said Swiatek, who has not dropped a set in the Californian desert this year.

"It's already a great tournament."

The 2022 champion made her intentions clear early on with an aggressive start to break for a 2-1 lead and pulled further away when Kostyuk hit a double fault two games later.

The 21-year-old Kostyuk surrendered the opening set in 31 minutes and was put through the wringer again by world number one Swiatek at the start of the second set.

A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-times Grand Slam champion withstood some pressure from the 31st seed in the next game before building a 3-0 advantage.

Kostyuk appeared to struggle with a left foot problem and a medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, as Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading 19th match win of the season, finishing off the match with a forehand winner.

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek. U.S. Open champion Gauff looked far from her best early in the match as Sakkari drew first blood after a short rain delay by breaking the American third seed in the ninth game, before securing the opening set with ease. The players were forced off the court for a longer spell as the showers returned at the start of the second set, but Sakkari picked up from where she left off when the action resumed and tightened her grip on the contest with a double break. But Gauff was not done and the 20-year-old rediscovered her rhythm in the high-octane second set to save three match points and go level at 5-5, eventually forcing a tie break which she dominated to set up a decider. Ninth seed Sakkari regrouped and showed her quality in the decisive points after swapping breaks with Gauff early in the third set to prevail in the late-night thriller. ALSO READ: Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald announces retirement "I don't want to disrespect Coco, but it would have been amazing if this match was over an hour ago," Sakkari said after the epic battle that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. "I'm going to take this win even though it was in three sets. I was thinking of the finish line in the second set and then things got tricky. But that was an amazing win." "Coco is such an amazing opponent. She's incredible. She fights for every point. I'm just so happy I'm in the final once again here." Top seed Swiatek earlier produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 and remain on track for her second title of the year. "For sure I'm happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. The focus was high throughout and I didn't have any doubts," said Swiatek, who has not dropped a set in the Californian desert this year. "It's already a great tournament." The 2022 champion made her intentions clear early on with an aggressive start to break for a 2-1 lead and pulled further away when Kostyuk hit a double fault two games later. The 21-year-old Kostyuk surrendered the opening set in 31 minutes and was put through the wringer again by world number one Swiatek at the start of the second set. A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-times Grand Slam champion withstood some pressure from the 31st seed in the next game before building a 3-0 advantage. Kostyuk appeared to struggle with a left foot problem and a medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, as Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading 19th match win of the season, finishing off the match with a forehand winner.

Indian Wells 2024: Maria Sakkari stuns Coco Gauff to book summit clash date with Iga Swiatek

Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults but still managed to beat China's Yuan Yue 6-4 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time. A day after her 20th birthday, Gauff had to rally from 3-1 down in the second set before setting up a clash with ninth seed Maria Sakkari, who ended American Emma Navarro's run with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 victory.

"I'm really happy to be through today's match," said one-time teen prodigy Gauff. "It wasn't the best style of the serving, but overall I think when it comes to the groundstroke game and returns, everything else, honestly, I played well. I'll just try and take the positives into the next match."

Gauff, who said she celebrated her birthday with steak tacos, saved seven of the 10 break points she faced over the match, including three to avoid going 4-1 down in the second set. "I pretty much just relied on me just out-rallying her and being aggressive," Gauff added. "I think a lot of break points that were saved, at least in that second set, I just remember hitting a lot of forehand winners."

Gauff joined Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki as the only players to have reached five WTA 1000 semi-finals before the age of 21.

Top seed Swiatek earlier also reached the semi-finals after former world number one Wozniacki retired with a foot injury early in the second set of their quarter-final. Wozniacki started strongly as she raced into a 4-1 lead but she was soon left frustrated as Swiatek produced a barrage of winners to storm back and win the set 6-4.

The Dane, who returned to the circuit last year after taking a three-year break to start a family, had a medical timeout to have her right foot re-strapped at the end of the first set. That failed to improve the situation, however, and she gestured to her opponent that she was unable to continue once Swiatek had taken a 1-0 lead in the second.

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"I have a huge respect for her and I'm sad she has to go that way, I'm sure she will recover and I hope she will be ready for Miami," Swiatek said. "But I'm happy that I played well enough in first set to win it."

Swiatek, the 2022 champion, will face Marta Kostyuk in the semi-finals after the Ukrainian defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-0 7-5. "Let's not put expectations too high," world number 32 Kostyuk said of her meeting with Swiatek. "She's a great competitor, she's been on top of the game for two years already."

Sakkari, who is working with new coach David Witt for the first time at Indian Wells after a patchy run of results, closed out the evening with a comeback win over Navarro to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for a third straight year.

"That was the toughest match I've played in a while," said Sakkari. "Emma is an incredible player ... She's been playing amazing. It's a huge win. I'm very happy I found a way to win this match today."

Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults but still managed to beat China's Yuan Yue 6-4 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time.

Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults but still managed to beat China's Yuan Yue 6-4 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time. A day after her 20th birthday, Gauff had to rally from 3-1 down in the second set before setting up a clash with ninth seed Maria Sakkari, who ended American Emma Navarro's run with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 victory. "I'm really happy to be through today's match," said one-time teen prodigy Gauff. "It wasn't the best style of the serving, but overall I think when it comes to the groundstroke game and returns, everything else, honestly, I played well. I'll just try and take the positives into the next match." Gauff, who said she celebrated her birthday with steak tacos, saved seven of the 10 break points she faced over the match, including three to avoid going 4-1 down in the second set. "I pretty much just relied on me just out-rallying her and being aggressive," Gauff added. "I think a lot of break points that were saved, at least in that second set, I just remember hitting a lot of forehand winners." Gauff joined Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki as the only players to have reached five WTA 1000 semi-finals before the age of 21. Top seed Swiatek earlier also reached the semi-finals after former world number one Wozniacki retired with a foot injury early in the second set of their quarter-final. Wozniacki started strongly as she raced into a 4-1 lead but she was soon left frustrated as Swiatek produced a barrage of winners to storm back and win the set 6-4. The Dane, who returned to the circuit last year after taking a three-year break to start a family, had a medical timeout to have her right foot re-strapped at the end of the first set. That failed to improve the situation, however, and she gestured to her opponent that she was unable to continue once Swiatek had taken a 1-0 lead in the second. Also read: Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz overcomes bees and Alexander Zverev to advance to Indian Wells semis "I have a huge respect for her and I'm sad she has to go that way, I'm sure she will recover and I hope she will be ready for Miami," Swiatek said. "But I'm happy that I played well enough in first set to win it." Swiatek, the 2022 champion, will face Marta Kostyuk in the semi-finals after the Ukrainian defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-0 7-5. "Let's not put expectations too high," world number 32 Kostyuk said of her meeting with Swiatek. "She's a great competitor, she's been on top of the game for two years already." Sakkari, who is working with new coach David Witt for the first time at Indian Wells after a patchy run of results, closed out the evening with a comeback win over Navarro to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for a third straight year. "That was the toughest match I've played in a while," said Sakkari. "Emma is an incredible player ... She's been playing amazing. It's a huge win. I'm very happy I found a way to win this match today."

Tennis: Error-prone Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek enter Indian Wells semifinals

Top seed Iga Swiatek swatted aside Yulia Putintseva 6-1 6-2 on Tuesday to set up an Indian Wells quarter-final clash with former world number one Caroline Wozniacki. Swiatek got off to a slow start and saved four break points in the third game before finding her groove. The Pole then raced to a 5-1 lead, prompting Putintseva to throw her racket to the floor in frustration, before wrapping the opener up in less than 30 minutes.

Swiatek, the 2022 champion, made early inroads in the second set and while Putintseva started going for her shots more the 22-year-old world number one proved too strong for her Kazakh opponent. "I knew I had to keep my focus (in the second set), she was trying different stuff out there," said Swiatek, who dropped serve twice in the second frame. "But I just really wanted to play my game and focus on what I want to do. I'm glad I did that."

Wozniacki, who returned to the tour last year after stepping away from the sport in 2020 to start a family, eased past fellow mother Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-2 earlier in the day. "She's a really experienced player," Swiatek said of the 2011 champion. "I think she's playing great after her maternity break, she was fighting to come back. "I have huge respect. It's going to be a nice match."

Wozniacki said she was relishing the opportunity to continue her run at Indian Wells, after making the quarters for the first time in four years. "I'm just enjoying myself and I'm just thrilled I get another match in front of all of you guys," she said.

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Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 6-1 and next meets another Russian in Anastasia Potapova, who beat Jasmine Paolini 7-5 0-6 6-3. Kostyuk dropped only four points on serve in the match and broke Pavlyuchenkova five times to reach her first quarter-final at a WTA 1000 event. Kostyuk had edged Pavlyuchenkova in a three-setter in San Diego earlier this month but had an easier time in their fourth round battle.

"It definitely helped that I played her (recently)," the 21-year-old Kostyuk, who reached the Australian Open quarters in January for her best result at a Grand Slam, told the Tennis Channel. "The conditions were much better for my game here, the ball bounces much higher and it's a bit warmer. I didn't feel like I was in so much trouble like I did in San Diego."

Potapova booked her first trip to the quarter-finals of a Masters event with her win over Dubai champion Paolini, snapping the Italian's eight-match winning streak.

Top seed Iga Swiatek swatted aside Yulia Putintseva 6-1 6-2 on Tuesday to set up an Indian Wells quarter-final clash with former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

Top seed Iga Swiatek swatted aside Yulia Putintseva 6-1 6-2 on Tuesday to set up an Indian Wells quarter-final clash with former world number one Caroline Wozniacki. Swiatek got off to a slow start and saved four break points in the third game before finding her groove. The Pole then raced to a 5-1 lead, prompting Putintseva to throw her racket to the floor in frustration, before wrapping the opener up in less than 30 minutes. Swiatek, the 2022 champion, made early inroads in the second set and while Putintseva started going for her shots more the 22-year-old world number one proved too strong for her Kazakh opponent. "I knew I had to keep my focus (in the second set), she was trying different stuff out there," said Swiatek, who dropped serve twice in the second frame. "But I just really wanted to play my game and focus on what I want to do. I'm glad I did that." Wozniacki, who returned to the tour last year after stepping away from the sport in 2020 to start a family, eased past fellow mother Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-2 earlier in the day. "She's a really experienced player," Swiatek said of the 2011 champion. "I think she's playing great after her maternity break, she was fighting to come back. "I have huge respect. It's going to be a nice match." Wozniacki said she was relishing the opportunity to continue her run at Indian Wells, after making the quarters for the first time in four years. "I'm just enjoying myself and I'm just thrilled I get another match in front of all of you guys," she said. Also read: Rugby: Two-time world champions Australia slump to new low in world rankings as Italy rise Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 6-1 and next meets another Russian in Anastasia Potapova, who beat Jasmine Paolini 7-5 0-6 6-3. Kostyuk dropped only four points on serve in the match and broke Pavlyuchenkova five times to reach her first quarter-final at a WTA 1000 event. Kostyuk had edged Pavlyuchenkova in a three-setter in San Diego earlier this month but had an easier time in their fourth round battle. "It definitely helped that I played her (recently)," the 21-year-old Kostyuk, who reached the Australian Open quarters in January for her best result at a Grand Slam, told the Tennis Channel. "The conditions were much better for my game here, the ball bounces much higher and it's a bit warmer. I didn't feel like I was in so much trouble like I did in San Diego." Potapova booked her first trip to the quarter-finals of a Masters event with her win over Dubai champion Paolini, snapping the Italian's eight-match winning streak.

Tennis: Poland's Iga Swiatek surges at Indian Wells to book quarterfinal with Caroline Wozniacki

Defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek was on Friday handed a walkover into the Qatar Open final where Elena Rybakina will stand in her way of a third successive title at the Gulf event.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek had been scheduled to face Karolina Pliskova in her semi-final.

However, the Czech, who won the Cluj tournament in Romania last weekend, withdrew suffering from a lower back injury.

Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina was stronger at the key moments as she beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-4 to reach Saturday's final.

Rybakina, the third seed, converted four of six break points while her unseeded opponent could only exploit one of the nine she had.

"I am happy that in the end I managed to finish the match, playing a little better in these important moments," Rybakina, who represents Kazakhstan, said in her on-court interview.

Rybakina broke Pavlyuchenkova in the fifth game of the opening set and broke again in the eighth.

Pavlyuchenkova saved three set points in the next game but also squandered a break point of her own before succumbing.

"The first set it was very close, we were both fighting," said Rybakina.

Rybakina broke easily in the second-set opener before holding serve to take a sixth straight game.

Pavlyuchenkova held to end that streak and then had six break points in the next game, but could take none of them.

She finally converted her eighth break point as she came back from 30-0 down in the eighth game. She then held serve as Rybakina wobbled on her forehand.

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With Rybakina serving for the match, Pavlyuchenkova had another break point but hit long. She saved one match point but Rybakina then produced an ace to seal victory.

The 32-year-old Pavlyuchenkova is finding her form again after a long struggle with a knee injury.

"Great to see her back," said Rybakina. "She played really well. It was a really tough match."&nbsp;

On facing Swiatek in the final, she added: "She's a great champion so it is going to be very difficult. But I will try to enjoy it and do as much as possible."

Rybakina is aiming for a third title this year, after winning in Adelaide and last week in Abu Dhabi.

Defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek was on Friday handed a walkover into the Qatar Open final where Elena Rybakina will stand in her way of a third successive title at the Gulf event.

Defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek was on Friday handed a walkover into the Qatar Open final where Elena Rybakina will stand in her way of a third successive title at the Gulf event. Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek had been scheduled to face Karolina Pliskova in her semi-final. However, the Czech, who won the Cluj tournament in Romania last weekend, withdrew suffering from a lower back injury. Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina was stronger at the key moments as she beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-4 to reach Saturday's final. Rybakina, the third seed, converted four of six break points while her unseeded opponent could only exploit one of the nine she had. "I am happy that in the end I managed to finish the match, playing a little better in these important moments," Rybakina, who represents Kazakhstan, said in her on-court interview. Rybakina broke Pavlyuchenkova in the fifth game of the opening set and broke again in the eighth. Pavlyuchenkova saved three set points in the next game but also squandered a break point of her own before succumbing. "The first set it was very close, we were both fighting," said Rybakina. Rybakina broke easily in the second-set opener before holding serve to take a sixth straight game. Pavlyuchenkova held to end that streak and then had six break points in the next game, but could take none of them. She finally converted her eighth break point as she came back from 30-0 down in the eighth game. She then held serve as Rybakina wobbled on her forehand. ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan skips latest Ranji Trophy final round despite BCCI's directive With Rybakina serving for the match, Pavlyuchenkova had another break point but hit long. She saved one match point but Rybakina then produced an ace to seal victory. The 32-year-old Pavlyuchenkova is finding her form again after a long struggle with a knee injury. "Great to see her back," said Rybakina. "She played really well. It was a really tough match." On facing Swiatek in the final, she added: "She's a great champion so it is going to be very difficult. But I will try to enjoy it and do as much as possible." Rybakina is aiming for a third title this year, after winning in Adelaide and last week in Abu Dhabi.

Tennis: Iga Swiatek gets walkover into Qatar Open final clash with Rybakina

Carlos Alcaraz sent a chilling warning to his Australian Open rivals on Saturday, outclassing Shang Juncheng before the Chinese teenager was forced to retire.

A day after defending champion Novak Djokovic returned to top form, world number two Alcaraz laid down a marker in a lopsided third-round contest lasting just 66 minutes.

The 20-year-old, playing a tour-level match against a player younger than himself for the first time in his career, was leading 6-1, 6-1, 1-0 when his 18-year-old opponent had to pull out.

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Shang entered the match on Rod Laver Arena with his upper right thigh strapped and received treatment on the injury during the second set.&nbsp;

Dominant Alcaraz did not face a single break point to set up a last-16 meeting with&nbsp;Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic, who saved two match points to beat last year's semi-finalist&nbsp;Tommy Paul&nbsp;6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(9/7), 6-0.

The Spanish second seed is vying with Djokovic for the number one ranking and if they both reach the final it will double as a straight shootout for the top spot.

Alcaraz, who missed last year's tournament at Melbourne Park with an injury, said it was "not the way anybody wants to move on" after the injury to Shang.

"I missed the tournament last year," he said. "I was watching the matches at home from the couch, wishing to play in the second week here."

"This is the first time I have moved to the second week in Australia. It feels special."

In other action on Saturday, women's 12th seed Zheng Qinwen said she was inspired by Chinese great Li Na's win in the 2014 final after she beat compatriot Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8).

"That final I have watched it more than 10 times, so I have a lot of memories," she said.

"I mean, she was an unbelievable player, the first Asian woman who won the Grand Slam. How can you not remember that."

Men's ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz progressed but former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was beaten by Russia's Anna Kalinskaya.

<h2>Swiatek's 18-match winning streak</h2>

Top women's seed Swiatek is on an 18-match winning run, but she had to dig deep to see off former finalist Danielle Collins in the second round.

On her days off she has witnessed defending champion Aryna Sabalenka pummel her three opponents into submission, for the loss of just six games in total.

The 22-year-old will be keen for a statement win against unseeded Czech Linda Noskova to confirm that she is the player to beat as she hunts a fifth Grand Slam title.

Swiatek, who faced former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, said her draw was "like the toughest one I ever had".

But she believes she could benefit from her baptism of fire in Melbourne.

"I don't mind actually that it was intense because I remember also when I started the tournament with some easy matches, then I felt I was a little bit rusty when the tough moments came," she said.

Men's third seed Daniil Medvedev is back on court after his gruelling five-set encounter with Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori, which finished at 3:40 am on Friday.

The Russian, a two-time finalist in Melbourne, faces a potentially tough assignment against Canadian 27th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, while sixth seed Alexander Zverev takes on unseeded American Alex Michelsen.

Carlos Alcaraz sent a chilling warning to his Australian Open rivals on Saturday, outclassing Shang Juncheng before the Chinese teenager was forced to retire. A day after defending champion Novak Djokovic returned to top form, world number two Alcaraz laid down a marker in a lopsided third-round contest lasting just 66 minutes.

Carlos Alcaraz sent a chilling warning to his Australian Open rivals on Saturday, outclassing Shang Juncheng before the Chinese teenager was forced to retire. A day after defending champion Novak Djokovic returned to top form, world number two Alcaraz laid down a marker in a lopsided third-round contest lasting just 66 minutes. The 20-year-old, playing a tour-level match against a player younger than himself for the first time in his career, was leading 6-1, 6-1, 1-0 when his 18-year-old opponent had to pull out. Also Read: Teenager Mirra Andreeva reacts to Andy Murray's tweet of appreciation after win over Diane Parry Shang entered the match on Rod Laver Arena with his upper right thigh strapped and received treatment on the injury during the second set. Dominant Alcaraz did not face a single break point to set up a last-16 meeting with Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic, who saved two match points to beat last year's semi-finalist Tommy Paul 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(9/7), 6-0. The Spanish second seed is vying with Djokovic for the number one ranking and if they both reach the final it will double as a straight shootout for the top spot. Alcaraz, who missed last year's tournament at Melbourne Park with an injury, said it was "not the way anybody wants to move on" after the injury to Shang. "I missed the tournament last year," he said. "I was watching the matches at home from the couch, wishing to play in the second week here." "This is the first time I have moved to the second week in Australia. It feels special." In other action on Saturday, women's 12th seed Zheng Qinwen said she was inspired by Chinese great Li Na's win in the 2014 final after she beat compatriot Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8). "That final I have watched it more than 10 times, so I have a lot of memories," she said. "I mean, she was an unbelievable player, the first Asian woman who won the Grand Slam. How can you not remember that." Men's ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz progressed but former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was beaten by Russia's Anna Kalinskaya. Swiatek's 18-match winning streak Top women's seed Swiatek is on an 18-match winning run, but she had to dig deep to see off former finalist Danielle Collins in the second round. On her days off she has witnessed defending champion Aryna Sabalenka pummel her three opponents into submission, for the loss of just six games in total. The 22-year-old will be keen for a statement win against unseeded Czech Linda Noskova to confirm that she is the player to beat as she hunts a fifth Grand Slam title. Swiatek, who faced former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, said her draw was "like the toughest one I ever had". But she believes she could benefit from her baptism of fire in Melbourne. "I don't mind actually that it was intense because I remember also when I started the tournament with some easy matches, then I felt I was a little bit rusty when the tough moments came," she said. Men's third seed Daniil Medvedev is back on court after his gruelling five-set encounter with Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori, which finished at 3:40 am on Friday. The Russian, a two-time finalist in Melbourne, faces a potentially tough assignment against Canadian 27th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, while sixth seed Alexander Zverev takes on unseeded American Alex Michelsen.

Australian Open: Carlos Alcaraz storms into last 16, sets up clash with Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic

World number one Iga Swiatek's 18-match winning run came to a shuddering halt at the Australian Open on Saturday when she was dumped out in the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova.

The Polish top seed appeared en route to the last 16 after taking the first set but lost her way, going down 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes to the world number 50.

Just three of the top 10 women's seeds remain in the draw in Melbourne at the end of the first week.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-carlos-alcaraz-storms-into-last-16-iga-swiatek-continues-winning-streak-681801">Australian Open: Carlos Alcaraz storms into last 16</a>

"I'm speechless," said Noskova, who is at her first Australian Open. "I knew it was going to be an amazing match, but I didn't really think it would end up like this."

"I'm just really glad to get through."

Swiatek, 22, who produced a stunning second-round comeback to beat former finalist Danielle Collins, broke in the sixth game and went on to take the first set in 43 minutes.

Both women faced pressure on their serves in a tight second set and fended off break points until the eighth game, when Noskova broke to love to lead 5-3 before serving out.

Swiatek cracked in the third game of the decider, putting herself in deep trouble, but she hit back immediately after speaking with her coaching team on court.

But she came under pressure on her serve again, saving another break point to edge ahead 3-2.

That proved a temporary stay of execution as she netted with a forehand in the seventh game to give Noskova another break for a 4-3 lead and she held serve for 5-3.

Swiatek held her own serve and then won the first two points as Noskova served for the match. But the Czech player kept her head, producing an ace to set up match point and sealing the deal.

Noskova will face either Ukrainian 19th seed Elina Svitolina or Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic next.

World number one Iga Swiatek's 18-match winning run came to a shuddering halt at the Australian Open on Saturday when she was dumped out in the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova.

World number one Iga Swiatek's 18-match winning run came to a shuddering halt at the Australian Open on Saturday when she was dumped out in the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova. The Polish top seed appeared en route to the last 16 after taking the first set but lost her way, going down 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes to the world number 50. Just three of the top 10 women's seeds remain in the draw in Melbourne at the end of the first week. Also Read: Australian Open: Carlos Alcaraz storms into last 16 "I'm speechless," said Noskova, who is at her first Australian Open. "I knew it was going to be an amazing match, but I didn't really think it would end up like this." "I'm just really glad to get through." Swiatek, 22, who produced a stunning second-round comeback to beat former finalist Danielle Collins, broke in the sixth game and went on to take the first set in 43 minutes. Both women faced pressure on their serves in a tight second set and fended off break points until the eighth game, when Noskova broke to love to lead 5-3 before serving out. Swiatek cracked in the third game of the decider, putting herself in deep trouble, but she hit back immediately after speaking with her coaching team on court. But she came under pressure on her serve again, saving another break point to edge ahead 3-2. That proved a temporary stay of execution as she netted with a forehand in the seventh game to give Noskova another break for a 4-3 lead and she held serve for 5-3. Swiatek held her own serve and then won the first two points as Noskova served for the match. But the Czech player kept her head, producing an ace to set up match point and sealing the deal. Noskova will face either Ukrainian 19th seed Elina Svitolina or Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic next.

Australian Open: Top-seed Iga Swiatek crashes out after losing to Czech teenager Linda Noskova

Former world number seven and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins announced she would be retiring this season after a close second-round loss to world number one Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park on Thursday. The 30-year-old American, who had a 4-1 lead in the deciding set but went down 6-4 3-6 6-4 to the four-times Grand Slam champion, said she was sick of the travel and wanted to have a family.

"This is going to be my last season, actually, competing," Collins told reporters after racing off Rod Laver Arena and straight into her press conference. "I don't really know exactly when, but this will be my last season and I'm really looking forward to that."

Her peak ranking of seventh in the world came in 2022 after she had beaten Swiatek in the semi-finals at Melbourne Park before going on to lose to Ash Barty in the final. She also reached the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2019 and the quarter-finals of the French Open the following year.

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"I feel like I've had a pretty good career. There has certainly been ups and downs to it, and I think the travel and some of the things away from the court with scheduling and all of that, this is a really tough sport," Collins told reporters. "I have other things that I'd kind of like to accomplish in my life outside of tennis, and would like to be able to kind of, you know, be able to have the time to be able to do that. Obviously having kids is a big priority for me."

Collins said she was proud of taking Swiatek so close on Thursday and that losing did not sting as much as it had earlier in her career. "I feel like I have kind of gotten to the point where obviously they matter and, you know, my career means a lot to me, but the end of the day, you know, you either win or you lose, and that's all there is to it," she said.

Former world number seven and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins announced she would be retiring this season after a close second-round loss to world number one Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Former world number seven and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins announced she would be retiring this season after a close second-round loss to world number one Iga Swiatek at Melbourne Park on Thursday. The 30-year-old American, who had a 4-1 lead in the deciding set but went down 6-4 3-6 6-4 to the four-times Grand Slam champion, said she was sick of the travel and wanted to have a family. "This is going to be my last season, actually, competing," Collins told reporters after racing off Rod Laver Arena and straight into her press conference. "I don't really know exactly when, but this will be my last season and I'm really looking forward to that." Her peak ranking of seventh in the world came in 2022 after she had beaten Swiatek in the semi-finals at Melbourne Park before going on to lose to Ash Barty in the final. She also reached the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2019 and the quarter-finals of the French Open the following year. Also read: Aus Open: Zverev avoids shock upset by qualifier Klein, Swiatek overcomes stiff challenge from Collins "I feel like I've had a pretty good career. There has certainly been ups and downs to it, and I think the travel and some of the things away from the court with scheduling and all of that, this is a really tough sport," Collins told reporters. "I have other things that I'd kind of like to accomplish in my life outside of tennis, and would like to be able to kind of, you know, be able to have the time to be able to do that. Obviously having kids is a big priority for me." Collins said she was proud of taking Swiatek so close on Thursday and that losing did not sting as much as it had earlier in her career. "I feel like I have kind of gotten to the point where obviously they matter and, you know, my career means a lot to me, but the end of the day, you know, you either win or you lose, and that's all there is to it," she said.

Aus Open: Former world number seven Danielle Collins announces impending retirement after second-round loss

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev survived an almighty scare at the Australian Open on Thursday as the former semi-finalist dug deep to beat Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein 7-5 3-6 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(7) and move into the third round. Rain forced the 4-1/2-hour contest to be completed under the roof on John Cain Arena and Zverev found himself in huge trouble as world number 163 Klein turned up the pressure after losing the opening set to take the next two.

"I would have much rather won in an hour-and-a-half but what can I do," Zverev said. "He played incredible, was hitting every ball as hard as he could from both sides. I didn't really know what to do a lot of the times. "To be honest, he probably deserved to win more than me. That's how tennis goes sometimes. I'm happy that I'm through but his ranking is no value to how he's playing."

The 25-year-old Klein, whose only previous Grand Slam main draw appearance was at Wimbledon in 2022, was inching towards his first career top-10 win but squandered the chance to break at 4-4 in the fourth set, much to Zverev's relief. "I was thinking there's a Qantas flight at 11 p.m. tonight straight to Dubai and then one to home," Zverev said, adding that he was just a spectator much of the time as Klein reeled off the winners, finishing with 80 in total. "I was playing but the match was his hands, he was playing winners or he was missing ... I'm extremely happy to be honest."

But Klein also made 83 unforced errors, compared to only 36 from Zverev, and that proved to be the difference. Zverev levelled the contest as Klein frittered away a 3-1 lead in the tie-break and the 26-year-old German swapped breaks with his opponent early in the decider before holding his nerve in a tie-break to prevail. "Now I'm in the third round," said Zverev, who will next face American Alex Michelsen. "It's about recovering and being out here on court because that's what I love to do."

In addition, even&nbsp;Norway's Casper Ruud struggled in a see-saw match against local hope Max Purcell, ultimately winning 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 7-6(7) in his second round in the men's draw.

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WORLD NO. 1 SWIATEK ALSO SURVIVES A SCARE

World number one Iga Swiatek battled back from two breaks down in the final set to beat Danielle Collins 6-4 3-6 6-4 on Thursday (January 18) and reach the third round of the Australian Open for the fifth successive year. Collins might be ranked 62nd in the world but has a good record at Melbourne Park and beat Swiatek in the semi-finals two years ago before going on to lose to Ash Barty in the title-decider.

Four-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek has an excellent record against lower-ranked players but really had to dig deep into her reserves to overcome Collins in a dramatic but scrappy three-hour contest on Rod Laver Arena. The 30-year-old Collins faltered in her serve at key moments in the match and Swiatek found her best tennis late in the decisive set to move onto a third-round clash with Czech Linda Noskova.

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev survived an almighty scare at the Australian Open on Thursday as the former semi-finalist dug deep to beat Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein 7-5 3-6 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(7) and move into the third round.

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev survived an almighty scare at the Australian Open on Thursday as the former semi-finalist dug deep to beat Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein 7-5 3-6 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(7) and move into the third round. Rain forced the 4-1/2-hour contest to be completed under the roof on John Cain Arena and Zverev found himself in huge trouble as world number 163 Klein turned up the pressure after losing the opening set to take the next two. "I would have much rather won in an hour-and-a-half but what can I do," Zverev said. "He played incredible, was hitting every ball as hard as he could from both sides. I didn't really know what to do a lot of the times. "To be honest, he probably deserved to win more than me. That's how tennis goes sometimes. I'm happy that I'm through but his ranking is no value to how he's playing." The 25-year-old Klein, whose only previous Grand Slam main draw appearance was at Wimbledon in 2022, was inching towards his first career top-10 win but squandered the chance to break at 4-4 in the fourth set, much to Zverev's relief. "I was thinking there's a Qantas flight at 11 p.m. tonight straight to Dubai and then one to home," Zverev said, adding that he was just a spectator much of the time as Klein reeled off the winners, finishing with 80 in total. "I was playing but the match was his hands, he was playing winners or he was missing ... I'm extremely happy to be honest." But Klein also made 83 unforced errors, compared to only 36 from Zverev, and that proved to be the difference. Zverev levelled the contest as Klein frittered away a 3-1 lead in the tie-break and the 26-year-old German swapped breaks with his opponent early in the decider before holding his nerve in a tie-break to prevail. "Now I'm in the third round," said Zverev, who will next face American Alex Michelsen. "It's about recovering and being out here on court because that's what I love to do." In addition, even Norway's Casper Ruud struggled in a see-saw match against local hope Max Purcell, ultimately winning 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 7-6(7) in his second round in the men's draw. Also read: Australian Open: Defending champion Novak Djokovic enters third round with hard-fought win over Alexei Popyrin WORLD NO. 1 SWIATEK ALSO SURVIVES A SCARE World number one Iga Swiatek battled back from two breaks down in the final set to beat Danielle Collins 6-4 3-6 6-4 on Thursday (January 18) and reach the third round of the Australian Open for the fifth successive year. Collins might be ranked 62nd in the world but has a good record at Melbourne Park and beat Swiatek in the semi-finals two years ago before going on to lose to Ash Barty in the title-decider. Four-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek has an excellent record against lower-ranked players but really had to dig deep into her reserves to overcome Collins in a dramatic but scrappy three-hour contest on Rod Laver Arena. The 30-year-old Collins faltered in her serve at key moments in the match and Swiatek found her best tennis late in the decisive set to move onto a third-round clash with Czech Linda Noskova.

Aus Open: Zverev avoids shock upset by qualifier Klein, Swiatek overcomes stiff challenge from Collins

In-form top seed Iga Swiatek ground past former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in straight sets Tuesday to open her campaign for a first title at Melbourne Park.

But it was not easy for the four-time Grand Slam winner, who eventually triumphed 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 after a 1 hour 51 minute slog in draining conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

It was a replay of thee 2020 French Open final that Polish star Swiatek won, and they had not met since.

"Really happy, it's not easy to play the first match, especially the first Grand Slam of the season," said Swiatek, who owns three Roland Garros crowns and another at the US Open.

"Wasn't easy at the beginning to find my rhythm and I felt a little bit off and Sofia did everything to keep it that way.

"I'm happy that I managed to get through the second set."

Victory stretched the 22-year-old's unbeaten streak to 17 matches, the second longest of her career, after she finished 2023 by winning 11 straight in Beijing and Cancun, which took her back to world number one.

She then won five more matches at the United Cup at the start of the new season, meaning she was in imperious touch coming to Melbourne.

There will be no let-up for Swiatek, with a second-round clash against either 2016 Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber or 2022 Melbourne Park finalist Danielle Collins.

Swiatek opened with a serve to love against 2020 champion Kenin, who has slid down the rankings to 41. But the American woke up and broke before holding to surge 3-1 clear. &nbsp;

With her left thigh strapped, Kenin was returning well and her backhand on fire.

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But she wobbled in the sixth game, with back-to-back double faults gifting Swiatek a break back for 3-3.

Undeterred, Kenin earned another break with a searing backhand to move 5-4 ahead only to falter again serving for the set.

It went to a tiebreak, where the top seed stepped up to get over the line after a marathon 68 minutes.

The second set was equally tight until game five, when Kenin slapped a forehand wide to hand Swiatek two break points and she converted when the American pounded a backhand long. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It was a killer blow, with Kenin having nothing left in the tank as the world number one sprinted to the finish line.&nbsp;

In-form top seed Iga Swiatek ground past former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in straight sets Tuesday to open her campaign for a first title at Melbourne Park.

In-form top seed Iga Swiatek ground past former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in straight sets Tuesday to open her campaign for a first title at Melbourne Park. But it was not easy for the four-time Grand Slam winner, who eventually triumphed 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 after a 1 hour 51 minute slog in draining conditions on Rod Laver Arena. It was a replay of thee 2020 French Open final that Polish star Swiatek won, and they had not met since. "Really happy, it's not easy to play the first match, especially the first Grand Slam of the season," said Swiatek, who owns three Roland Garros crowns and another at the US Open. "Wasn't easy at the beginning to find my rhythm and I felt a little bit off and Sofia did everything to keep it that way. "I'm happy that I managed to get through the second set." Victory stretched the 22-year-old's unbeaten streak to 17 matches, the second longest of her career, after she finished 2023 by winning 11 straight in Beijing and Cancun, which took her back to world number one. She then won five more matches at the United Cup at the start of the new season, meaning she was in imperious touch coming to Melbourne. There will be no let-up for Swiatek, with a second-round clash against either 2016 Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber or 2022 Melbourne Park finalist Danielle Collins. Swiatek opened with a serve to love against 2020 champion Kenin, who has slid down the rankings to 41. But the American woke up and broke before holding to surge 3-1 clear. With her left thigh strapped, Kenin was returning well and her backhand on fire. ALSO READ | Unbothered by short-ball stuff and rank-turners, Shreyas Iyer prepares for England Tests But she wobbled in the sixth game, with back-to-back double faults gifting Swiatek a break back for 3-3. Undeterred, Kenin earned another break with a searing backhand to move 5-4 ahead only to falter again serving for the set. It went to a tiebreak, where the top seed stepped up to get over the line after a marathon 68 minutes. The second set was equally tight until game five, when Kenin slapped a forehand wide to hand Swiatek two break points and she converted when the American pounded a backhand long. It was a killer blow, with Kenin having nothing left in the tank as the world number one sprinted to the finish line.

Australian Open: Iga Swiatek battles through tough test against former champion Sofia Kenin

The year’s first Grand Slam is set to take centre stage from 14 January 2024 in Australia’s Melbourne as top tennis stars prepare to claim&nbsp;glory. This year, the Australian Open will have the eyes of the entire world as the former champions Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will stage their return while defending champions Novak Djokovic will eye a place in the history books in what could be a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title. Ahead of the big tournament in Melbourne, here is all you need to about the Australian Open 2024.

When does the Australian Open 2024 start?

The Australian Open 2024 starts on Sunday (January 14) in Melbourne.

When will be the final of the Australian Open 2024?

The women’s singles final of the Australian Open 2024 will be played on Saturday (January 27) and the men’s singles final will be played on Sunday (January 28).&nbsp;Finals will be played at the Rod Laver Arena.

How many players will compete in the main draw of Australian Open 2024?

A total of 128 players will compete in both men’s singles and women’s singles of which 104 have qualified directly while 16 players will come from qualifiers and 8 players will be given wildcards in the Australian Open 2024.

Who are the top seeds in both men’s and women’s department at Australian Open 2024?

Novak Djokovic is likely to be the No.1 seed in men’s singles department while Iga Swiatek is likely to be the No.1 seed in women’s singles in the Australian Open 2024.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-slaps-india-with-point-deduction-for-slow-over-rate-in-centurion-test-shamis-replacement-named-674728">ICC slaps India with point-deduction for slow over-rate in Centurion Test; Shami’s replacement named</a>

Who are the defending champions of Australian Open?

24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic is the defending Australian Open men’s singles champion while Aryna Sabalenka is the defending women’s singles champion at the Australian Open.

When are the draws for the Australian Open 2024?

The draws for the Australian Open 2024 will take place on Thursday (January 11) in Melbourne.

What is the prize money for the Australian Open 2024 winner?

The winner of the Australian Open 2024 in singles category of men’s and women’s department will receive $3.15 million each. The runners-up will receive $1.73 million each.

Which channel will broadcast the Australian Open 2024 in India?

Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 5, Sony Ten 1 HD, Sony Ten 5&nbsp;HD will broadcast the Australian Open 2024.

Which platform will stream the Australian Open 2024?

The Australian Open 2024 can be streamed live on Sony Liv app.

The year’s first Grand Slam is set to take centre stage from 14 January 2024 in Australia’s Melbourne as top tennis stars prepare to claim glory. This year, the Australian Open will have the eyes of the entire world as the former champions Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will stage their return while defending champions Novak Djokovic will eye a place in the history books in what could be a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title.

The year’s first Grand Slam is set to take centre stage from 14 January 2024 in Australia’s Melbourne as top tennis stars prepare to claim glory. This year, the Australian Open will have the eyes of the entire world as the former champions Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will stage their return while defending champions Novak Djokovic will eye a place in the history books in what could be a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title. Ahead of the big tournament in Melbourne, here is all you need to about the Australian Open 2024. When does the Australian Open 2024 start? The Australian Open 2024 starts on Sunday (January 14) in Melbourne. When will be the final of the Australian Open 2024? The women’s singles final of the Australian Open 2024 will be played on Saturday (January 27) and the men’s singles final will be played on Sunday (January 28). Finals will be played at the Rod Laver Arena. How many players will compete in the main draw of Australian Open 2024? A total of 128 players will compete in both men’s singles and women’s singles of which 104 have qualified directly while 16 players will come from qualifiers and 8 players will be given wildcards in the Australian Open 2024. Who are the top seeds in both men’s and women’s department at Australian Open 2024? Novak Djokovic is likely to be the No.1 seed in men’s singles department while Iga Swiatek is likely to be the No.1 seed in women’s singles in the Australian Open 2024. ALSO READ | ICC slaps India with point-deduction for slow over-rate in Centurion Test; Shami’s replacement named Who are the defending champions of Australian Open? 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic is the defending Australian Open men’s singles champion while Aryna Sabalenka is the defending women’s singles champion at the Australian Open. When are the draws for the Australian Open 2024? The draws for the Australian Open 2024 will take place on Thursday (January 11) in Melbourne. What is the prize money for the Australian Open 2024 winner? The winner of the Australian Open 2024 in singles category of men’s and women’s department will receive $3.15 million each. The runners-up will receive $1.73 million each. Which channel will broadcast the Australian Open 2024 in India? Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 5, Sony Ten 1 HD, Sony Ten 5 HD will broadcast the Australian Open 2024. Which platform will stream the Australian Open 2024? The Australian Open 2024 can be streamed live on Sony Liv app.

All you need to know about Australian Open 2024: Defending champions, live streaming, prize money

The 22-year-old Iga Swiatek has been named WTA Player Of The Year for the second successive season. She is the first player to win consecutive awards since 23-Time Grand Slam Serena Williams won four from 2012 to 2015.

World No.1 wins back-to-back WTA Player of the Year Awards

The stage is set for the first-ever Grand Slam of 2024. The Australian Open will kick off on January 14 and the preparations are in full swing. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will officially mark their return to the Grand Slams, after long gaps, as the entry list for the upcoming 2024 edition is out.&nbsp;Both Nadal and Osaka will make a comeback during the Brisbane International, which will be held ahead of the Australian Open from Jan 1-7.

The Spaniard&nbsp;made his way on the entry list of the Australian Open on the basis of Protected Ranking along with Croatia’s Marin Cilic, Denis Shapovalov (Canada) and Milos Raonic, USA’s Reilly Opelka and Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely. Meanwhile, Osaka was drafted in courtesy of the Special Ranking along with USA’s Jennifer Brady, Amanda Anisimova, Shelby Rogers and Caty McNally, Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Australia’s Ajila Tomlanovic.

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AO 2024 entry lists locked in. Let’s get this show on the road ☑️ 😎 <a href="https://t.co/fXGQluKVKn">https://t.co/fXGQluKVKn</a>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-rafael-nadal-believes-he-will-be-competitive-in-his-return-666966">Tennis: Rafael Nadal believes he will be 'competitive' in his return</a>

Nadal will make a comeback&nbsp;after a long gap. He hasn't played any form of tennis since his second-round exit at the Australian Open early this year. He even bowed out of the 2023 French Open, owing to a hip injury, which led&nbsp;to his ouster from the top 100 for the first time in 20 years.&nbsp;

Ahead of his comeback, Nadal said in a video posted on social media, "I don't know at what level (he will play at), I don't know what to expect, I have no idea, but I don't care right now. I'm just happy to be back and with great excitement to make the effort that is necessary to have fun and I believe that I will be competitive."

He further opined, "It's been a long year in which I've gone through many phases, from trying to get back to compete at the clay season, week after week, disappointment after disappointment."

"Of course I have had many doubts, of course there were moments where it seemed impossible that this moment would come, but we've maintained the work, spirit and hope and I think I am ready," the former world number one Nadal added.

Meanwhile, Osaka will return after post-pregnancy after she became&nbsp;a mother&nbsp;in July. The 26-year-old has been away from professional tennis since the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, held in September 2022.

The stage is set for the first-ever Grand Slam of 2024. The Australian Open will kick off on January 14 and the preparations are in full swing. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will officially mark their return to the Grand Slams, after long gaps, as the entry list for the upcoming 2024 edition is out.

The stage is set for the first-ever Grand Slam of 2024. The Australian Open will kick off on January 14 and the preparations are in full swing. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will officially mark their return to the Grand Slams, after long gaps, as the entry list for the upcoming 2024 edition is out. Both Nadal and Osaka will make a comeback during the Brisbane International, which will be held ahead of the Australian Open from Jan 1-7. The Spaniard made his way on the entry list of the Australian Open on the basis of Protected Ranking along with Croatia’s Marin Cilic, Denis Shapovalov (Canada) and Milos Raonic, USA’s Reilly Opelka and Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely. Meanwhile, Osaka was drafted in courtesy of the Special Ranking along with USA’s Jennifer Brady, Amanda Anisimova, Shelby Rogers and Caty McNally, Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Australia’s Ajila Tomlanovic. AO 2024 entry lists locked in. Let’s get this show on the road ☑️ 😎 https://t.co/fXGQluKVKn — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) December 6, 2023 × Also read: Tennis: Rafael Nadal believes he will be 'competitive' in his return Nadal will make a comeback after a long gap. He hasn't played any form of tennis since his second-round exit at the Australian Open early this year. He even bowed out of the 2023 French Open, owing to a hip injury, which led to his ouster from the top 100 for the first time in 20 years. Ahead of his comeback, Nadal said in a video posted on social media, "I don't know at what level (he will play at), I don't know what to expect, I have no idea, but I don't care right now. I'm just happy to be back and with great excitement to make the effort that is necessary to have fun and I believe that I will be competitive." He further opined, "It's been a long year in which I've gone through many phases, from trying to get back to compete at the clay season, week after week, disappointment after disappointment." "Of course I have had many doubts, of course there were moments where it seemed impossible that this moment would come, but we've maintained the work, spirit and hope and I think I am ready," the former world number one Nadal added. Meanwhile, Osaka will return after post-pregnancy after she became a mother in July. The 26-year-old has been away from professional tennis since the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, held in September 2022.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka mark their return as Australian Open announce entry list for 2024 edition

Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday. After struggling to find her rhythm early on against the big-hitting lefty, Swiatek crushed an overhead to set up a break point, which she converted on her opponent's backhand error to cut the deficit to 5-3 and seize the momentum.

Vondrousova served for the set a second time at 5-4 but Swiatek broke again with a precise backhand winner up the line for 5-5 as she began to take control of the match, constructing points from the baseline and cutting down on her errors. Swiatek completed the first set comeback on a double fault and a disillusioned Vondrousova went quietly in the second set.

Although she defended her title at the French Open for her fourth Grand Slam title, 2023 has been something of a disappointment for Swiatek, who did not get past the quarters of any of the other majors and lost her world number one ranking. She came into her third WTA Finals with a ton of momentum, however, after winning her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Beijing, and has a chance to retake the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka in Cancun.

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Vondrousova, who made her top-10 debut after emerging as the surprise winner of Wimbledon, is making her first appearance at the season-ending Finals, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world.

In the other Group B match-up of the evening, American U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff needed just 56 minutes to defeat Ons Jabeur 6-0 6-1 in a rain-delayed clash, making for the fourth straight-set result in the singles tournament so far.

Gauff, who is seeded third in the tournament, will face Swiatek in her next match on Wednesday.

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Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday.

Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday. After struggling to find her rhythm early on against the big-hitting lefty, Swiatek crushed an overhead to set up a break point, which she converted on her opponent's backhand error to cut the deficit to 5-3 and seize the momentum. Vondrousova served for the set a second time at 5-4 but Swiatek broke again with a precise backhand winner up the line for 5-5 as she began to take control of the match, constructing points from the baseline and cutting down on her errors. Swiatek completed the first set comeback on a double fault and a disillusioned Vondrousova went quietly in the second set. Although she defended her title at the French Open for her fourth Grand Slam title, 2023 has been something of a disappointment for Swiatek, who did not get past the quarters of any of the other majors and lost her world number one ranking. She came into her third WTA Finals with a ton of momentum, however, after winning her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Beijing, and has a chance to retake the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka in Cancun. Also read: Australia union accepts Eddie Jones resignation after Rugby World Cup debacle Vondrousova, who made her top-10 debut after emerging as the surprise winner of Wimbledon, is making her first appearance at the season-ending Finals, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world. In the other Group B match-up of the evening, American U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff needed just 56 minutes to defeat Ons Jabeur 6-0 6-1 in a rain-delayed clash, making for the fourth straight-set result in the singles tournament so far. Gauff, who is seeded third in the tournament, will face Swiatek in her next match on Wednesday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Poland's Iga Swiatek overcomes early deficit to beat Marketa Vondrousova at WTA Finals

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