PARIS/WASHINGTON, June 8, 2021 (by Michael Dickens)
Defending Roland Garros women’s titlist Iga Swiatek of Poland rounded out the quarterfinal field with her 6-3, 6-4 victory over Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine Monday evening.
Playing in her first night session match on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the 20-year-old Swiatek came back from a break down early in the first set to win the 92-minute fourth-round match over the 18-year-old Kostyuk. Through the first four rounds of the tournament, Swiatek has dropped just 20 games.
With the women’s quarterfinals now set, Swiatek finds herself as the only Top 10-seed left and the only one of the eight who has won a Grand Slam singles title. Of the eight women remaining, six have reached their first major quarterfinal.
2️⃣2️⃣ sets and counting 🙌@iga_swiatek keeps her streak alive while battling to victory over Kostyuk 6-3, 6-4 and claims the final slot in the QFs.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/PTUVu2Wxdq
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Swiatek hit 24 winners and 22 unforced errors while Kostyuk’s numbers were similar at 20 winners and 24 unforced errors. A big difference, however, was in the percentage of first-serve points won: Swiatek won 74 percent (28 of 38) while Kostyuk won only 57 percent (25 of 44). Swiatek outpointed her opponent 77-63.
Asked during an on-court interview how the conditions of playing at night under lights differed from her previous matches, Swiatek said: “There were like so many differences that it was actually hard for me to adapt to it. The lights are really bright especially when the sky is dark. We both had the same conditions. I’m happy that in the future we’re going to play night matches with the crowds. It will be much better.”
“I’m not Rafa but…”#RolandGarros | @iga_swiatek pic.twitter.com/y94EwLTXB5
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Later, during her press conference, Swiatek said: “Playing the night session … is always hard, because you have to change the whole rhythm of the day, change the routines.
“So still, even though I played many night sessions right now, I sometimes struggle at the beginning to find the rhythm and to see the ball properly with the lights, not with the sun.
“You just have to adjust to that, because we both have the same conditions. It’s going better and better every match, but still, I need some more experience.”
Young stars ⭐️#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/uCe7QJW6nP
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Swiatek extended her sets-won streak at Roland-Garros to 22 and the win gives the defending champion a pair of 10-match winning streaks – both in 2021 and also at the French Open.
Next, Swiatek will face No. 17 seed Maria Sakkari of Greece, who earlier Monday beat last year’s French Open finalist Sofia Kenin of the United States, 6-1, 6-3. With No. 4 seed Kenin ousted, it leaves No. 8 seed Swiatek as the highest remaining seed in the women’s draw.
Finish Line Found 🏁@mariasakkari is headed to her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-3 win over 2020 finalist Kenin in just over an hour.
She gets the winner of Kostyuk/Swiatek. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/gqnPoNqOYT
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Swiatek is also still alive in the women’s doubles draw teamed with Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States. “I’m happy I’m in both singles and doubles quarterfinals,” she said. “It’s a big achievement. Being in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam doesn’t happen every day. I’m proud I’m doing good and I have good support with me.”
☺️Into the quaterfinal after challenging match in night session. The journey continues and I’m so happy that you – fans will be there with us.
😊Jest ćwierćfinał po wymagającym meczu w sesji nocnej. Przygoda trwa dalej i bardzo się cieszę, że na trybunach będzie więcej kibiców! pic.twitter.com/zJiw6I0oW6
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) June 7, 2021
The Roland-Garros final eights
The @atptour final 🎱
🇷🇸 Djokovic vs Berrettini 🇮🇹
🇪🇸 Nadal vs. Schwartzman 🇦🇷
🇩🇪 Zverev vs. Davidovich Fokina 🇪🇸
🇬🇷 Tsitsipas vs. Medvedev 🇷🇺#RolandGarros— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Swiatek: Rome champion
Gauff: Parma champion
Badosa: Belgrade champion
Krejcikova: Strasbourg championZidansek: Bogota finalist
Pavlyuchenkova: Madrid semifinalist pic.twitter.com/8N9qZ1imFC— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) June 7, 2021
Monday’s Roland-Garros results
Tuesday’s Roland-Garros order of play
Get the 🍿 ready…
Full Day 9⃣ schedule 👉 https://t.co/orSJwrwnk5 pic.twitter.com/vfyKwom75S
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Around Roland-Garros
Another 🏆 for Alfie@alfiehewett6 successfully defends his #RolandGarros singles title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Shingo Kunieda. 👏 pic.twitter.com/lfoi3LET0p
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
2018 🏆
2019 🏆
2020 🏆
2021 🏆🇳🇱 @DiedetheGreat & @AniekVanKoot are the wheelchair women’s doubles champions for the 4th consecutive year! #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/tWr3ZgK8WF
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Title Town 🏆
🇦🇺@DylanAlcott picks up his third straight quad wheelchair singles crown in Paris with a 6-4, 6-2 win over 🇳🇱Sam Schroder. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/0vivf21VIY
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Elena Rybakina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: Frenemies
Rybakina + Pavlyuchenkova 👭
Winning dubs team today, singles foes tomorrow. Hello, frenemy 🤭#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/Z4GOtaOVvs
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
Coco Gauff: Champion UNO player
🔴🔵🟢🟡
Official UNO leaderboard update. Sorry, mum and dad 😁 #RolandGarros | @CocoGauff pic.twitter.com/JYrThetaQg
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
The many faces of Diego Schwartzman
🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/ZLT41skcTp
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
“Quotable …”
• “Federer and Nadal are my idols. They are so humble. Rafa inspires me a lot, I trained with him in Australia, he is a machine who never misses.”
– Jannik Sinner on what Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal mean to him.
• “I like [being tested] because it keeps me constantly on my toes. It just keeps you focused all the time, because you don’t have that flow, so … you have to work all the time.
“With that flow, you can seem surprised that, ‘Hey, something is not good,’ and then you’re going to panic. But right now, I’m getting tested. Still, I’m moving forward, so that’s even better for me.”
– Iga Swiatek commenting on her win over Marta Kostyuk Monday evening.
What they’re tweeting
Great match between @DjokerNole @lorenzomusetti_ ! #nole showed his fighting spirit but #lorenzo has bright future ahead! @rolandgarros
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) June 7, 2021
What they’re writing
Lots of talk about the modern outspoken athlete. I would argue that Martina Navratilova drew the blueprints as well as anyone — and just listen to what she has to say now. via @NYTimes https://t.co/lMxLpH5yc8
— Matt Futterman (@MattFutterman) June 6, 2021
For the record
An Open Era record 6 first-time Slam quarterfinalists at #RG21:
Maria Sakkari
Barbora Krejcikova
Coco Gauff
Elena Rybakina
Paula Badosa
Tamara ZidansekThere will be at least 3 first-time Slam semifinalists.
Defending champ Iga Swiatek is the only Top 10 seed remaining.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) June 7, 2021
By the numbers
Jeu, set, match: Nadal @RafaelNadal makes it 35 sets in a row at #RolandGarros as he dismisses Sinner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VALFKoXY8K
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2021
13-time #RolandGarros champion @RafaelNadal reaches QFs for the 15th year with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 victory over [18] #Sinner. With the win #Nadal…
– is unbeaten in his last 34 #RolandGarros matches
– extends his consecutive #RG sets streak to 35
– improves to 104-2 @rolandgarros— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) June 7, 2021
What they’re sharing on social media
Dominic Thiem / Red Bull pitchman
Proud to announce that my special 2 & 6 Thiem-pack @redbull is now available in stores in Austria. Check out my new Instagram filter and become a Thiem-Player!#GivesYouWings @redbullAustria pic.twitter.com/U0Wyt4ErjK
— Dominic Thiem (@ThiemDomi) June 7, 2021
Eugenie Bouchard / Bad news, good news
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) June 7, 2021
