Iga Swiatek breezes past Donna Vekic into Italian Open quarter-finals, will play Elena Rybakina next

Updated 16/05/2023 at 17:06 GMT

Two-time Rome defending champion Iga Swiatek has been in formidable form at this year's Italian Open. Swiatek got a double-bagel win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round before beating Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 6-0 in the round of 32. Swiatek was made to work harder in her last 16 match on centre court, but she still overcame Donna Vekic in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals.

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Iga Swiatek has set up a quarter-final clash with Elena Rybakina after a comfortable 6-3 6-4 win over Donna Vekic.

Swiatek was hardly troubled by her Croatian opponent and extended her head-to-head record to 4-0 in a straightforward win for the Pole.

The two-time French Open champion will face a tough test in the quarter-finals. Wimbledon champion Rybakina has beaten Swiatek the last two times they have met.

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Rybakina beat Swiatek in the last 16 of the Australian Open this year as well as the Indian Wells semi-finals: both in straight sets.

On playing Rybakina for the first time on clay this year, Swiatek said after the match: "It's not going to be easy. She's in great shape this season. It's going to be challenging but I'm ready for it.

"We'll see how it's going to go. I still feel really comfortable on clay so I hope it's going to be a nice match."

Swiatek did not play her finest tennis in the opening set, but it was still comfortable with Vekic winning only 29 per cent of her points off her second serve.

The second set was a far closer, topsy-turvy affair with 49 unforced errors shared between them. Neither player even registering a break point on their opponent's serve until 4-4.

Swiatek converted the one break point of the set with a forehand winner down the line.

Vekic had the chance to break back in the very next game, but Swiatek recovered the two break points before sealing her place in the next round.

Paula Badosa has set up a quarter-final meeting with Jelena Ostapenko after beating Karolina Muchova 6-4 6-7(4) 6-2. For Badosa, it will be her first career appearance in a Rome quarter-final.

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Stream the French Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

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