Seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek needed just more than an hour Thursday to reach the fourth round of the National Bank Open in Toronto.
The Polish star defeated Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1 in a match that lasted 66 minutes.
“For sure it was a good day, and I’m really happy with the way I played,” said Swiatek, 25. “Even though the first game wasn’t super smooth, I knew I can start from the beginning, and then it went my way and I could find my rhythm.”
Golubic is the only player to beat Swiatek in the first round of a major — at Wimbledon in 2019, when the six-time Grand Slam winner was just 18. But Swiatek has won the last three matches and has dropped just five games to Golubic during the last two.
During their latest encounter, Swiatek won 22 of her 28 first-service points (78.6%) and buried a pair of aces.
“I think I played back her slice pretty well, so the change of rhythm didn’t bother me that much,” Swiatek said. “I tried to pick the right balls to attack because I was controlling the pace, it was just about the decision-making.”
Swiatek will play 10th-seeded Marta Kostyuk for a berth in the quarterfinals after the Ukrainian downed 19th-seeded Madison Keys 6-3, 6-1. Kostyuk saved all 10 break points she faced and converted four of six break opportunities while winning in 72 minutes.
Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus saved a break point in the final game and won the last three points, closing out a 6-3, 6-4 victory over China’s Shuai Zhang in 76 minutes.
“That was definitely tricky. She played great,” Sabalenka said. “It was tough to face when you want to finish the match and go rest. And you know there was the break point. Of course, that’s definitely not easy, and I’m happy that I managed to stay focused and managed to close this match in straight sets.”
The World No. 1, Sabalenka improved to 5-1 in her career against Zhang, winning the past five matchups in straight sets.
No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula persevered through a rain delay to record her 40th victory of the season — 6-4, 6-0 over Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan. Pegula converted all six break-point opportunities.
Pegula next faces No. 15 Diana Shnaider, who posted a 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 17 Anna Kalinskaya in an all-Russian affair.
Another Russian, No. 16 Ekaterina Alexandrova, rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Australia’s Talia Gibson.
Eighth-seeded Amanda Anisimova rallied to defeat the Czech Republic’s Nikola Bartunkova 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 in just under two hours.
Ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine swept 24th-seeded Anastasia Potapova of Austria 6-1, 6-1, saving all five break points she faced and converting 5 of 10 break-point opportunities.
–Field Level Media
