World number one Iga Swiatek surged back from a set down against Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen 6-7(5) 6-0 6-2 to progress into the quarterfinals of Roland Garros and extend her winning streak to 32 matches.
The top-seeded Swiatek narrowly lost the first set, but came roaring back and equaled the third longest winning streak this century (Justine Henin, 2008).
The 2020 Roland Garros champion Swiatek opened the match with a 3-0 lead and when Zheng earned a break to try to level to 3-3, the clay-court master immediately broke back to keep the lead, 4-2. From a 5-2 deficit, Zheng won three games in a row and eventually edged the set in a tiebreak, after saving five set points.
Down 3-0 in the second set, the world No.74 Zheng took a medical timeout, but Swiatek continued to sweep her off the court and opened her famous bakery just in time for dinner, recording a Tour-leading 16th 6-0 set this year.
After losing eight straight games, Zheng held serve to make her mark on the scoreboard in the third set, but it was evident she didn’t have much left in the tank to challenge the title favorite.
Swiatek’s quarterfinal opponent will be American Jessica Pegula, who knocked out Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6 6-2 6-3 earlier on Monday. This is Pegula’s third Grand Slam quarterfinal and first at Roland Garros. Swiatek defeated Pegula in straight sets en route to the Miami Open title two months ago, leveling their head-to-head record to 1-1.
In other top-half fourth-round matches, Veronika Kudermetova came from behind to set up a quarterfinal meeting with fellow Russian Daria Kasatkina. The 29th-seeded Kudermetova beat American 22nd seed Madison Keys 1-6 6-3 6-1 to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time. The 20th-seeded Kasatkina cruised past Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-2, continuing her ruthless form this fortnight. Kasatkina has been broken only two times in her first four matches in Paris this year.
Women’s quarterfinal pairs at the 2022 French Open are as follows:
Iga Swiatek [1] vs. Jessica Pegula [11]
Veronika Kudermetova [29] vs. Daria Kasatkina [20]
Martina Trevisan vs. Leylah Fernandez [17]
Coco Gauff [18] vs. Sloane Stephens
