June 01, (THEWILL) – Iga Swiatek survived a stern challenge from Elena Rybakina to advance to the French Open quarter-finals with a 1-6 6-3 7-5 victory on Sunday. The match, lasting two hours and 29 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier, saw Swiatek recover from a dismal first set to extend her Roland Garros title defence. Rybakina dominated early, racing to a 5-0 lead before Swiatek finally held serve, but the Kazakh’s momentum faltered as errors crept in.
Swiatek admitted her struggles after the match, stating: “First set, I felt like I was playing against Jannik Sinner. I needed to do something to get back.” The Pole’s resilience shone in the second set as she broke Rybakina to love in the sixth game, levelling the contest. Double faults plagued both players at critical moments, but Swiatek’s consistency in longer rallies proved decisive.
The final set swung dramatically, with Swiatek breaking in the seventh game only to surrender her advantage immediately. At 5-5, she seized control with a decisive break before serving out the match. The win marked her first clay-court victory over Rybakina, improving their head-to-head record to 5-4. Swiatek now faces Elina Svitolina, who saved three match points to eliminate Jasmine Paolini earlier in the day.
Swiatek’s triumph follows early exits in Madrid and Rome, raising questions about her form ahead of this year’s tournament. However, her ability to grind out victories under pressure reaffirms her status as the favourite in Paris. Rybakina, meanwhile, exits despite a strong showing, her powerful baseline game ultimately undone by untimely errors.
The clash was a highlight of the fourth round, underscoring the depth of competition in this year’s women’s draw. Swiatek’s quest for a fourth consecutive French Open title continues, with Svitolina awaiting in what promises to be another demanding encounter.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
