French Open: Spectacular Iga Swiatek speeds into semi-finals with straight-sets win over Marketa Vondrousova

Iga Swiatek blitzed her way past Marketa Vondrousova to reach the semi-finals at the French Open. She powered into the last four with a 6-0 6-2 victory over the Czech fifth seed, and the world No. 1 continues her hot streak of form at Roland-Garros, where she is a three-time champion. She beat the Wimbledon champion in an hour and two minutes, and plays Coco Gauff in the last four in Paris.

Iga Swiatek was not in the mood for messing around as she raced into the semi-finals of the French Open with a 6-0 6-2 decimation of Marketa Vondrousova. 

The Pole needed just an hour and two minutes to dispose of the fifth seed on Court Philippe-Chatrier, and the three-time Roland-Garros champion was at her relentless best to breeze past the Czech. 

She broke in the second game of the match, before dragging out the fourth game to rub salt into Vondrousova’s wounds, until at last she sealed the double-break with a backhand winner. 

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The Wimbledon champion could not get near Swiatek, whose purple twinge on her skirt was a similar shade to that of her form, as she closed out the opening set bagel in just 28 minutes with a third break. 

Vondrousova came out in the second set with a bit more confidence, notching her first tally on the scoreboard with 37 minutes played, and she threatened - at least temporarily - a break in the following game before Swiatek swiftly shut the door.

The Czech’s confidence collapsed once more as the world No. 1 stormed to another comfortable break of serve at 3-1, but Vondrousova, a finalist at Roland-Garros back in 2019, rallied to hold at 4-2. 

Swiatek batted off the world No. 6's resurgence with a final break, as Vondrousova netted a backhand to convert the Pole's first match point.

She will face Coco Gauff, who came back superbly to beat Ons Jabeur in the earlier quarter-final, in the last four.

Swiatek says 'everything worked' as she basks in brilliant win over Vondrousova

Video credit: TNT Sports

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Swiatek started the match as she meant to go on, dominant off both flanks with Vondrousova chasing shadows across her baseline.

The Pole was front-footed on her return approach, and broke easily in the second game, before finally securing her second of the match at 3-0 as a backhand grazed the line following some brutal forehands.

More heavy hitting off both wings brought up the bagel, and she built on it straight away in the second with a comfortable hold and more of the same devastation coming from her groundstrokes.

Vondrousova threatened to make the encounter more competitive as she finally held for 1-1, and she spurned a break point as Swiatek allowed a smidgen of complacency to creep in.

That didn't last long, however, as she returned to her previous ruthlessness, closing the affair out just over the hour mark with another forced error from her Czech opponent.

Swiatek ended the game with 25 winners, and Vondrousova had tallied 18 forced errors.

'Super Swiatek' - Moment Swiatek clinches stunning victory against Vondorousova

Video credit: TNT Sports

“Honestly, I think everything worked," the four-time Grand Slam champion said afterwards.

"I feel like I’ve been serving better than in previous rounds, so that gave me an extra boost of confidence. Overall, I felt like I’m playing [well], and I could play my game and go with my tactics, and not overthink anything.

“Today it was pretty straightforward. I’m happy that I kept my focus because sometimes I felt like the game was really intense, and sometimes the intensity went down a little.

"I wanted to play my game no matter what was coming back from Marketa, and I felt like I was in the zone today. 

"[I’ll prepare for Gauff] the same as any other match. You don’t want to change your routines. It’s good not to think about this match as something huge but just another match and not put too much baggage on your shoulders.

"Against Coco it’s not easy. She really likes playing on clay, especially here, so I’ll focus on myself and prepare tactically. We’ll see.”

You can watch every day of the 2024 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+

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