Iga Swiatek swept aside Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets to sail into the quarterfinals of the US Open on Monday.
The second seed, one of the favorites for the title, reached her fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal of the season with a 6-3 6-1 victory in just over an hour.
The 2022 US Open champion had been made to work hard on Saturday for her third-round victory over another Russian opponent, Anna Kalinskaya, who had raced into a 5-1 first-set lead before losing in straight sets.
But Monday’s assignment against Alexandrova proved more straightforward for the six-time Grand Slam champion, potentially signaling trouble for the rest of the field as they may struggle to catch her now.
After both players swapped breaks of serve to open the first set, Swiatek broke in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead. She held to go two games up, and then was gifted a break point in the ninth game when Alexandrova double-faulted.
Swiatek pounced on that chance to take the first set, and then moved through the gears to wrap up victory in the second, breaking Alexandrova twice before serving out to clinch the win.
Swiatek could face a rematch against eighth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals, whom she double-bageled to clinch her first Wimbledon title in July. Anisimova plays Brazilian 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the fourth round later on Monday.
While four of Swiatek’s six Grand Slam titles came on the clay of the French Open at Roland Garros, Monday’s win demonstrated she remains comfortable on all surfaces, especially after winning both Wimbledon and Cincinnati this year, to take her tally to 18 wins in her last 19 matches.
While she faced challenges against Suzan Lamens and Anna Kalinskaya, her match against Alexandrova demonstrated a relentless focus and the demeanour of a player fully concentrated on her current task.
She will meet either Amanda Anisimova or Beatriz Haddad Maia next for a chance to secure a spot in the semifinals.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
