Melbourne, Australia – Poland's Iga Swiatek has booked her second trip to the Australian Open semifinals with a commanding performance, overpowering eighth seed Emma Navarro of the USA 6-1, 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.
Setting her sights on the title, the five-time Grand Slam champion will face another American, Madison Keys, who rallied to defeat Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a thrilling quarterfinal match.
Searching for her first Australian Open crown, Keys will need to bring her best against Swiatek, who has been in relentless form, crushing all five of her opponents without dropping a set in this year's first major tournament.
A dynamic force from the first point to the last, Swiatek broke Navarro to love in the opening game and maintained her dominance throughout the match. Her relentless energy and refusal to concede even a single point showcased her determination to claim the title.
In a moment of controversy during the second set's fifth game, Swiatek chased down a drop shot that appeared to bounce twice before she reached it. Play continued, and Swiatek secured the point and the game with a precise passing shot, leaving Navarro visibly frustrated. Navarro's appeal to the chair umpire was unsuccessful as she had not halted play to dispute the call.
Addressing the incident after the match, Swiatek said, \"I didn't see the replay after this point because I wanted to stay focused and didn't want this point to stay in my head for a longer period of time.\"
While much attention has been on the top half of the women's draw, where title favorite and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka secured a semifinal spot against Paula Badosa on Tuesday, Swiatek's formidable performance places her firmly in contention for the championship.
Having surrendered only 14 games across her five matches, Swiatek's relentless pursuit of excellence makes her a formidable opponent as the tournament heads into the final stages.
Reference(s):
Swiatek advances to women's singles semifinals at Australian Open
cgtn.com
