Iga Swiatek gets first WTA main draw win on grass in Eastbourne thriller

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Last year's Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek had a much more difficult time as she needed two hours and 42 minutes to quell the challenge by British hope Heather Watson, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5 on Centre Court.


No.4 seed Swiatek claimed her first-ever WTA main-draw win on grass with her victory over 65th-ranked Watson, as the Pole had only played two matches at this level on the surface in 2019, and lost them both.

Swiatek very nearly went 0-for-3 on the surface as she was down a double-break in the final set before storming back to win six of the last seven games and keep her hopes for an Eastbourne title alive.

"I think I was just fighting, and even though grass is not the surface I understand completely, I kept believing that I can do it anyway," Swiatek said, in her post-match press conference. "I have, you know, some weapons that I can use. When I became more loosened up in the third set, it helped me a lot. I think it's the key when you're playing on grass."

World No.9 Swiatek needed just a single break to take the first set, then slid ahead by a break in the second set as well at 4-2. But untimely errors from Swiatek ceded the break right back to Watson, and the British hope took full advantage as she ramped up her aggression to send the second set into a tiebreak.

In the breaker, Watson leapt out to a 3-0 lead and eased home from there, leveling the match. Watson kept up the momentum in the decider, slamming an incredible backhand return winner to earn her second break of the set and grasp a commanding 4-1 lead.

Watson had two game points for a 5-1 lead, but Swiatek regrouped, breaking for 4-2 with a forehand crosscourt winner, and the tables suddenly turned.

A dropshot winner on break point pulled Swiatek back level at 4-4, and two games later, the Polish player saved a break point with a forehand winner, eventually edging ahead 6-5. There, Swiatek got the decisive break as she completed her comeback victory.

"The whole match was pretty crazy," Swiatek said. "You could see that I have a love/hate relationship with grass. I'm pretty happy that I came back in the third set."

wtatennis.com

Well that's one way to win your first ever tour level match on grass.  Wow. 4-1 down in the third, she came up with some phenomenal shots. 

Iga may not have much experience with the green stuff, but based on this match something tells me it won't take her long to get a handle on it. 

This match was an absolute joy, 

I can honestly say I officially love watching Iga play on grass. Bravo.

Roger Federer reflects on early loss in Halle

Roger Federer failed to reach the quarter-finals at the NOVENTI OPEN for the first time in 18 appearances with his three-set loss against Felix Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday. Afterwards, the Swiss legend, who is now 5-3 on the season, admitted that coming back from the two right knee surgeries he had last year has not been easy.

“It’s a huge challenge for me. Everybody who has been in multiple surgeries or a tough surgery knows what I’m talking about,” Federer said. “Things don’t come simple, they don’t come easy. You second-guess yourself rather quickly unfortunately, and that’s sometimes the biggest worry: the worry of pain or the worry of how you’re going to feel the next day or when you wake up, the first steps, how did they feel? All this stuff, it takes a little bit of a toll on you sometimes.”

Federer battled through a tight first set against the 20-year-old, and looked good in taking the lead. But the 10-time Halle champion made a lot of errors and showed uncharacteristic frustration in the third set. The former World No. 1 faced 15 break points in the match.

“Of course I know Felix is a great player and he was better today. I would have maybe lost anyhow. But it’s a tough court to play on, so it makes me really happy looking back at how grateful I can be about how well it’s gone here in Halle and how difficult it is to win here,” Federer said. “This type of third set I cannot accept. The first two are totally okay, no problem there. But I guess it happens and it’s all good from my side.”

The 103-time tour-level titlist said he has “felt overall very good” over the past year as he has rehabbed and attempted to work his way towards his best tennis. This was his fourth tournament since the 2020 Australian Open.

“I didn’t mind the whole rehab process and all that stuff. It has been one that I have also enjoyed, something different. I was able to stay home with the family and that was nice from that standpoint,” Federer said. “But then of course once you get back on the court you want it so badly like you used to, and then you get disappointed with a performance or shots or a feeling you have or negativity that creeps in. You just are [like], ‘That’s too bad. Why is that happening?’ And you’re just trying to figure that out.

“But I think that’s why I’ve always explained throughout this process, I need to take every match as information, I need to figure it out. I need to understand why it’s going on.”

Federer was especially pleased with how he played in the first set, but he felt his level quickly slip away in the decider.

“I just think the consistency point for point has not been easy for me in the comeback, and I knew that’s what it is going to take,” Federer said. “The good thing coming out of a match like this against a great player is I know what I need to think about moving forward. Clearly I need to do a bit better, but overall I thought also Felix played a great match. He stayed mentally very solid. He showed that he wanted to win and he was better at the end."

The World No. 8 was most disappointed with his attitude, which he felt contributed to the third set going the way it did. But after absorbing what happened in the match, the 39-year-old is confident that he can now move forward, work on his game and turn the page to Wimbledon.

“I realised it was not going to be my day. There was nothing I can do. I started to get really negative and this is not normally how I am by any means,” Federer said. “I think this is not something I’m happy about and proud about, but at the same time, if I look at my 1,500 matches I’ve played, these things happen. The good thing is that I know it will not happen the next time around and the next time and the next time."

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Roger Federer makes winning return on grass at Noventi Open in Halle

Roger Federer made a good start to his grass-court season on Monday with a 7-6(4), 7-5 win against Ilya Ivashka in the first round of the NOVENTI OPEN.

“[I] had a tough moment early on in the first set when he had break points, so that was crucial to get out of those,” Federer said in his on-court interview. “And then I played a really good tie-break, which I was happy about. I think as the match went on I started to create more opportunities and started to also calm my nerves a bit.

“Overall I think I served very well. Clearly, I can always be a little bit better, but I’m very happy and excited that I was able to get through the first one.”

The Swiss superstar has made clear that he has been building up for this grass-court season. And in his first match on the surface since 2019, Federer did not lose serve and advanced after one hour and 35 minutes, setting a second-round clash against Felix Auger-Aliassime or Hubert Hurkacz.

"I missed it. I hadn’t played a tournament [on grass] in two years on this surface," Federer said. "I’ve done the hard courts, I’ve done the clay and now [I am] on the grass. It’s been great being back here in Halle. I love playing here."

This is the 39-year-old’s fourth tournament of the season following a quarter-final showing in Doha, a second-round loss in Geneva and a run to the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he withdrew before playing Matteo Berrettini.

There was a significant gulf between Federer and Ivashka’s experience on this surface. The Belarusian had previously played four tour-level matches on grass, while the former World No. 1 has won 19 grass-court titles, including 10 in Halle. With his victory, Federer is now 69-7 at this tournament.

Although Ivashka had not had a lot of grass-court experience, he walked on court Monday with confidence. Not only did he qualify for this tournament, but he pushed Rafael Nadal to three sets in Barcelona and made the semi-finals in Munich.

The World No. 90 dominated on serve for a large majority of the match and did not face a break point until his 11th service game. Ivashka saved a match point at 4-5 in the second set when he barely squeezed a backhand volley into the net. But Federer did not slip a 0/40 advantage in his next return game. On the Swiss’ fourth match point, Ivashka missed a low forehand approach shot into the net for the only break of the match.

Federer has now won 10 of his past 11 matches at this ATP 500. The 103-time tour-level titlist was not at his flying best, but he was never under threat, winning 77 per cent of his first-serve points and saving the two break points he faced.

"I’m excited to be back on the green grass," Federer said. "And getting a win is obviously always very nice.

Did You Know?
Federer has advanced to at least the quarter-finals in each of his 17 previous appearances in Halle. The last time he failed to make the semi-finals at this event was in 2001, when he was 19.

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Roger Federer, Deniil Medvedev lead strong field in Halle at Noventi Open

 

Kei Nishikori Twitter

Roger Federer and Daniil Medvedev will lead the field at this year's Noventi Open, a grass-court ATP 500 event to be held from 14-20 June. Four Top 10 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings have entered.

Federer is a 10-time titlist at the event, where he has tallied a 68-7 record and reached at least the semi-finals in his past 15 appearances. Medvedev, the World No. 2, will make his tournament debut.

Alexander Zverev will try to triumph on home soil as he makes his sixth appearance at the tournament. The 24-year-old made back-to-back championship matches in Halle in 2016 and 2017, losing against Florian Mayer and Federer, respectively.

Andrey Rublev is the fourth Top 10 player in the field, and he will compete in the main draw for the second time after reaching the 2017 quarter-finals. Other players to watch include Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime, Miami champion Hubert Hurkacz, Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori.

A German has won four of the past 11 editions of the event. In addition to Zverev, home favourites Dominik Koepfer and Jan-Lennard Struff have also entered.

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Iga Swiatek going for doubles success at Roland Garros after losing in singles

A couple of the most recent Roland Garros singles stars have made it into the finale of this fortnight's women's doubles event, where they will factor into an eye-catching clash for the championship.


Barbora Krejcikova, who made it into this year's Roland Garros singles final on Thursday, will now contest both finals this weekend. Krejcikova paired with her long-time partner Katerina Siniakova to dispatch Magda Linette and Bernarda Pera, 6-1, 6-2, in Friday's semifinals.

Krejcikova now has the chance to become the first player to sweep the singles and women's doubles titles at Roland Garros since Mary Pierce pulled off the feat in 2000. Serena Williams is the most recent player to sweep those two events at any Grand Slam tournament, at 2016 Wimbledon.

In the final, the Czech duo will face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Iga Swiatek, who ousted Irina-Camelia Begu and Nadia Podoroska, 6-3, 6-4. Swiatek won the Roland Garros singles title last year and was a singles quarterfinalist this year in her title defense.

No.2 seeds Krejcikova and Siniakova have now reached both Grand Slam women's doubles finals this season. They finished as runners-up to Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka at this year's Australian Open.

Krejcikova and Siniakova, both former WTA Doubles World No.1s, are seeking their second Roland Garros women's doubles title, having won the event for their first Grand Slam title in 2018. They followed up with the title at 2018 Wimbledon one month later.

No.14 seeds Mattek-Sands and Swiatek, playing just their third event together, have already built up a solid 9-2 win-loss record during their nascent partnership.

Swiatek now has a chance to follow up her 2020 Roland Garros singles title with her first Grand Slam women's doubles title the very next year. In fact, a victory on Sunday would be Swiatek's first doubles title on the tour.

The 20-year-old Pole has a partner whose history in major finals is sterling -- Mattek-Sands is an undefeated 5-0 in Grand Slam women's doubles finals, including French Open titles alongside Lucie Safarova in 2015 and 2017.

A Mattek-Sands volley winner on break point at 4-3 gave her tandem a pivotal lead in the opening set, and despite dazzling defense and aggressive returning by Begu and Podoroska in the next game, Swiatek was able to serve out the set and put her team in the driver’s seat.

Begu of Romania and Podoroska of Argentina were able to fend off multiple break points at 1-1 and 2-2, as the unseeded pair stuck with Mattek-Sands and Swiatek for the opening half of the second set.

However, at 3-3, they were less successful, as Podoroska fell behind 0-40 on her service, then watched a Swiatek forehand passing shot zip past her pairing for the break.

That break proved to be decisive, as Mattek-Sands and Swiatek would charge to victory. At 5-4, Swiatek did have to face a break point on her service, but Begu fired her return long to cede that opportunity, and the American-Polish pairing claimed the win two points later, after an hour and 34 minutes of play.

    wtatennis.com

If Krejicikova wins the singles title on Saturday, there will be a battle of brand new Roland Garros champion vs last year's champion in the women's doubles final on Sunday. 

What a story that would make!. Glad Iga's injury wasn't anything serious, and that she's still around in Paris. 

Winning a first doubles title would be a fantastic way to cap off another year on the clay for Iga.

How fantastic would it be if Bethanie and Iga pull it off?. Good luck on Sunday ladies!! ♥

Roland Garros Defending Champion Iga Swiatek falls short in the quarterfinals

Iga Swiatek's Twitter

Iga Swiatek's title defense at Roland Garros ended on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to No.18 Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals. The loss snapped Swiatek's stunning streak of 22 consecutive sets won at the French Open.

"Well, obviously I didn't play my best tennis, that's for sure," Swiatek told reporters after the loss. "But Maria did a good job with playing at my forehand, which wasn't working pretty well today. It's good for her that she saw that. She picked a good tactic, for sure.

"All credit to her because she also made me actually feel bad. That's what players do to each other. She did that better today."

Swiatek also said the past few weeks finally hit her Tuesday. She said she struggled to get even a few hours of sleep the night before her quarterfinal match.

"This year I had more pressure on me, but also I did good because I think quarterfinal is a good job," Swiatek said. "I'm showing consistency. Obviously I know I can play better than today. Everybody has seen that. I know I can play heavier balls and everything. But days like that happen. I didn't have day like that last year. Basically that's why I won.

"But the most important thing right now is to take lessons of it, not let it happen next time."

While Wimbledon is less than three weeks away, Swiatek said her next big goal is to peak for the Tokyo Olympics, which will be played on hardcourts at the end of July.

"[The Olympics] is my next goal because I don't know how I'm going to play on grass.

"I don't know if I even remember how to play on grass, so we're going to see how that's going to go. I'm not putting, like, any expectations or any pressure on me because really I just want to learn how to play on it. Probably I'm going to say that for few more years."

Swiatek was a junior champion at Wimbledon in 2018, but she'll be playing the main draw for just the second time in her career. Despite her junior success, Swiatek is keeping her expectations low for the next few weeks.

"When I was playing that year [I won juniors], I was so angry that I didn't win junior French Open that I kind of took it [out] on Wimbledon," Swiatek said. "I think physically I was better than my opponents, than any junior player there. My motivation to win any Grand Slam, my anger at French Open, it really gave me a lot. Also the conditions were special this year because it was really hot. The ball was bouncing basically like on clay.

"Still in 2019 I didn't have a good run on any of the tournaments on grass. Basically that's why I just feel like I'm not consistent there. I'm not even consistent in, like, 10% really. I think it's going to do me good to not have any expectations and just play."

Regardless of the quick turnaround between Roland Garros and the grass season, Swiatek's first priority is to check out of tennis for as long as she needs to refresh both the mind and body. Swiatek took a medical timeout to tape her upper right leg early in the second set against Sakkari, but assured reporters that it wasn't as serious as she thought it might be on court.

Swiatek is still in the doubles tournament with Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The duo will face Irina-Camelia Begu and Nadia Podoroska for a spot in the final. Swiatek dismissed any concerns that her decision to play both singles and doubles impacted her tournament. Her 2020 title run was paired with a run to the doubles semifinals as well.

"I can change so many things that really it's hard to say what was the problem," Swiatek said. "I don't think it was doubles. As I said from the beginning, it actually helped me."

As Swiatek hits the midpoint of her first full season on the pro tour - an astounding fact given she has already pocketed titles at the Grand Slam, WTA 1000 and WTA 500 levels - it is impossible to see the 20-year-old's 2021 season as anything less than a success so far.

Coming off her 2020 breakthrough, Swiatek has won 23 of 29 matches this year and is one of only four players with multiple titles. She has lost before the Round of 16 at any tournament just once. Playing under newfound pressure at the Slams, she made the second week in Melbourne and Paris.

"I had a pretty intense season," Swiatek said. "I played many of the tournaments, more than in my previous seasons. I'm happy with the results that I have, but also I'm constantly at work.

"For sure we're going to try to chill out a little bit, cool down, also find some perspective. Basically when I close my eyes, I only see tennis court and balls, so it's pretty tiring. For sure that fresh start after grass is going to give me a lot."
    

    
wtatennis.com

Today was not Iga's day I did say in my last post I was a bit worried that playing singles and doubles on back to back days might prove to be a bit much. And I think in the end it was a little. 

As she herself mentioned she wasn't able to get proper sleep. And although she played doubles last year and said it helped her I think the added pressure of doing that and being the defending champion finally got to be too much (for the body especially). 

I hope her thigh injury isn't to serious. I guess we'll know for sure if she decides to pull out of the doubles.

That's not to take away from her achievements because reaching the quarters the way she did (without losing a set) was still a fantastic effort, so she can only take away positives from it all really. 

So far she's having a great season having already won 2 titles. The 3rd title being a Grand Slam last year. Not a lot of 20 year-olds can say that. 

There's no doubt in my mind this young woman will be a contender for many big titles in the years to come.

Good luck in the doubles Iga!. Congratulations on another outstanding showing at Roland Garros.  It may not have been the result you wanted but, keep your head high.  See you on the grass. 

Selfishly I was hoping Iga would finally be the first woman to successfully defend her Grand Slam title (which I think hasn't happened since Justine Henin in 2007?),  or Serena don't remember what year. 

But alas the WTA continues to be a revolving door of brand new Grand Slam champions (for the 6th year in a row)

All of whom are first time semi-finalists as well. Hard to say who will win out of the four ladies left. 

I want to say Krajicekova or Sakkari (rooting for Sakkari a little actually). But it could very well be Tamara Zidansek the way this tournament has gone. 

Wouldn't it be something to see a Greek on the men's side with Tsitsipas and compatriot Sakkari on the other?.  But more likely we'll get 1 out of 2. 

Defending Champion Iga Swiatek marches into Roland Garros quarters with hard fought victory

Seriously though how cool is this? ♥

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Facing unfamiliar territory in more ways than one on Monday night at Roland Garros, Iga Swiatek passed the test posed by both the conditions and her Ukrainian foe Marta Kostyuk with flying colors.


Playing her first scheduled night session match on Court Philippe-Chatrier against an opponent 13 months younger than her, the defending champion and No.8 seed sealed the eighth and final berth in the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Not often the elder of the two when she takes the court, the 20-year-old had her hands full with an 18-year-old Kostyuk, who was playing in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

A break down early in the first set and pushed all the way in the second, Swiatek needed to summon all her experience on the main stage in Paris to secure a 92-minute win.

"Playing the night session... is always hard, because you have to change the whole rhythm of the day, change the routines," Swiatek said after the match.

"So still, even though I played many night sessions right now, I sometimes struggle at the beginning to find the rhythm and to see the ball properly with the lights, not with the sun.

"You just have to adjust to that, because we both have the same conditions. It's going better and better every match, but still, I need some more experience.

"I like [being tested] because it keeps me constantly on my toes. It just keeps you focused all the time, because you don't have that flow, so... you have to work all the time.

"With that flow, you sometimes can seem surprised that, 'Hey, something is not good,' and then you're going to panic. But right now I'm getting tested, as you said. Still I'm moving forward, so that's even better for me."

Six of the nine games played in the first set stretched past deuce, including a six-deuce fourth game where Swiatek earned the break back after dropping her own serve at 1-1.

The pair later swapped service games at the same stage of the second set before Swiatek earned a second at 3-3, the break that eventually decided the match. She denied Kostyuk a chance to pull level at 4-4, and though the Ukrainian saved a match point in the eighth game to force Swiatek to serve for the match, the No.8 seed would ultimately not be denied on her second chance.

"It was really intense. It was just one of the points when I couldn't finish her and she was fighting till the end," Swiatek said of her thoughts on match point.

"I'm pretty happy that my lob was in, because I couldn't actually see. But it was risky, so I felt like kind of shaky, but I'm really happy that I made it in [an] important point. I was pretty solid so I'm happy about that."

The win gives Swiatek a pair of 10-match winning streaks, both overall this season and at Roland-Garros as her sets-won streak in Paris extends to 22. She's also one of four quarterfinalists to still be alive in the singles and doubles fields, joining Barbora Krejcikova, Elena Rybakina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Up next for Swiatek is a first-ever meeting against No.17 seed Maria Sakkari, who ousted last year's runner-up, No.4 seed Sofia Kenin, 

in straights earlier in the day.

"I haven't played her, so it's hard to say. I played many practices with her, and she's really cool girl. Our teams, we like each other," Swiatek said.

"It's never easy to play with one of the nicest girls on tour. Tactically, I'm going to for sure be prepared. Right now I'm not thinking about it, because still I have tomorrow doubles. So I just want to focus on getting my body back to being fresh.

"Hopefully, it's going to be good. She's the kind of player who likes to play defense as well, as my opponent today. I'm just going to be ready. I'm going to be patient and hopefully it's going to get results."

wtatennis.com

Boy, this match was intense!, both players had to generate their own energy, and the ralies they produced made you wish they had played during the day instead. 

The crowd would have gone wild with what both of them showcased in two very tight sets. I found myself gripping my pillow I was so nervous. 

Wow can Iga deliver under pressure though, it's honestly astounding. The focus and intensity she has. 

It makes for fantastic viewing because you know that even when she's down, she'll try her damnest to figure out a way to win. 

She really showed a champions fighting spirit tonight, when her back was the most against the wall than it 's been all tournament. I just hope that her playing doubles on her day off doesn't backfire energy wise. 

Then again she did that last year as well, and won the whole thing so I guess it's good to be 20. Well done Iga!. Another fantastic performance. 

Sakkari might be Iga's biggest challenge yet especially since she's one of the fittest players on tour but I have faith and I am really looking forward to what is sure to be another popcorn worthy match.  Jazda! ♥