Swiatek annihilates Raducanu to reach third round at French Open
Defending champion Iga Swiatek powered her way past Emma Raducanu on Wednesday to advance to the third round of the French Open.
The 23-year-old Pole, who is seeking a fifth title in six years at the Roland Garros Stadium, opened tentatively against the 2021US Openchampion.
She saved a break point during her first service game but with some powerful hitting off both wings soon found her stride.
From1-1, Swiatek reeled off five games on the trot to pocket the opening set 6-1 in 35 minutes.
Raducanu won the first game of the second set to stop the roll but the 22-year-old Briton was soon on the backfoot.
Swiatek claimed Raducanu's serve to lead 2-1 and held her own to extend the advantage to 3-1.
And from 3-2, another sweep of three consecutive games allowed Swiatek to claim the set 6-2 and the match
Surge
"I felt good on court," said Swiatek who wrote off her chances of adding another French Open singles trophy to her collection after her third round elimination at the Italian Open earlier this month.
"I felt I could do what I wanted to do and I was able to adjust to the wind.
"I thought that I did that well."
Elsewhere in the top half of the women's draw, last year's beaten finalist Jasmine Paolini advanced to the third round. The fourth seed beat Ajla Tomljanovic from Australia 6-3,6-3 in 81 minutes.
Eighth seedQinwen Zhengalso advanced in straight sets. She dispatched Emiliana Arango 6-2, 6-3 to set up a meeting with the Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko.
The 18-year-old progressed to the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time following a 6-4, 6-4 win over the German Eva Lys.
"I was very focused throughout the whole match," said Mbokop."She really made me earn every single point. I'm so happy to have gotten past that and through to the third round."
Zhengsaid she would not underestimate the teenager.
"I think every time I see young player coming, they have a lot of hunger, for sure," said Zheng.
"They fight a lot because it's their dream place. But same as me, it's my dream place too.
"When you arrive on the professional tour, you don't think anymore about the age because everybody's the same. You just face another opponent."
Originally published on RFI
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