(Madrid) Iga Swiatek once again made it look like success came easily for her at the Madrid Open, reaching the round of 16 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bernarda Pera on Sunday.
First in the world ranking, Swiatek conceded only one break of service and capitalized on four of her 13 opportunities against the American, ranked 32nd in the world.
Swiatek had defeated Julia Grabher by the same score in her first game in Madrid. The Pole has won six duels in a row in her clay-court season while losing only one set.
“I wouldn’t say it was easy,” Swiatek said. “Every game is complicated here. I’m happy to find my rhythm. It’s never easy to play against a lefty […], but I’m glad I stayed disciplined and focused. »
In her next outing, Swiatek will take on the winner of the match between China’s Zheng Qinwen, seeded 22, and Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, seeded 16.
In another match in the women’s singles draw, American Jessica Pegula, ranked third in the world, had to work harder to overcome Marie Bouzkova, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
Pegula saved 12 of the 14 break points she conceded to her rival.
“It was a long and grueling match, that’s for sure,” Pegula acknowledged. “It’s always difficult to play against Marie. We always have long and tough matches. I knew it would be very difficult. »
On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev crushed French qualifier Hugo Grenier 6-1, 6-0 in less than an hour.
Last year, Zverev lost the final match of the tournament to Carlos Alcaraz, who will be his next opponent in the Spanish capital. Later Sunday, Alcaraz beat Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 7-5.
“Today I felt great,” Zverev said. “Maybe Hugo was a little nervous. First time in the third round at a Masters (1000) and that’s big for any player. In general, I’m happy that I kept my composure and made it to the next round. »
Zverev, who had 26 game-winning shots and six service breaks, triumphed in Madrid in 2018 and 2021. He has a career record of 21-3 at this tournament and has reached at least the quarters of final in his last five appearances in Madrid.
After a tough opener that ended in three sets against Emil Ruusuvuori, Alcaraz made it a bit easier. The Spaniard has only been broken once.
“We didn’t do it well in that first game and it was clear that we had to go back to what we know, which is to attack,” observed Alcaraz.
Meanwhile, fifth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev improved to 10-1 on clay this season with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Yoshihito Nishioka.
Quarter-finalist last year in Madrid, Rublev won the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago.
In the next round, Rublev will meet compatriot Karen Khachanov, who beat local favorite Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Khachanov, seeded 10, won the last three games of a match that lasted almost three hours.