French Open: Iga Swiatek continues winning streak against Danka Kovinic on Court Philippe Chatrier | Tennis News

Poland’s world-beater Iga Swiatek takes her winning tally to 31 matches after defeating Danka Kovinic at Roland Garros; Swiatek is closing in fast on Serena Williams’ mark of 34 straight wins in 2013

Poland’s Iga Swiatek reached the fourth round of the French Open and extended her winning streak to 31 matches on Saturday

World No 1 and hot title favourite Iga Swiatek continued her remarkable winning streak as she defeated Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic 6-3 7-5 to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros on Saturday.

The 20-year-old, who is unbeaten since last February, has also won 46 of her last 47 sets after claiming titles on clay courts in Stuttgart and Rome.

The 2020 champion is bidding to become the fourth player since 2000 to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup multiple times after Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

“I wanted to play aggressively but maybe putting too much power and her balls were so powerful so it was tough to handle at full speed. I had to take fewer risks but she did a great job defending,” said Swiatek.

“She was serving with precision so it was tricky to see where she was going to serve but I have played heavy hitters before, although it was a bit hard to adjust at the beginning.”

Swiatek began brightly and broke for 2-0 on her sixth opportunity but Kovinic, the world No 95, managed to break back in the seventh game as her heavy forehand began to cause the Pole problems.

However, she immediately dropped serve again with four unforced errors in a row and Swiatek followed up on serve to take the opening set.

Kovinic’s efforts took their toll as she lost four consecutive games to allow the world No 1 to move 4-1 up. But she found some unsuspected resources to break back twice before moving 5-4 up after winning 11 points in a row.

Facing the prospect of dropping her first set in the tournament, Swiatek found better angles to level for 5-5 and she then broke decisively when Kovinic misfired a forehand.

Whipping the ball with poise, Swiatek wrapped it up on her second match point to set up a meeting against home favourite Alize Cornet or Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen for a place in the quarter-finals on Monday.

Irina-Camelia Begu reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time in six years.

The 63rd-ranked Romanian, who was fined $10,000 after her racket hit a child in the face when she bounced it into the crowd on Friday, advanced after she beat 227th-ranked French wild-card entry Leolia Jeanjean 6-1 6-4.

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