French Open: Iga Swiatek sets up a meeting with Coco Gauff in rematch of last year’s final | Tennis News
World No 1 Iga Swiatek set up a quarter-final meeting with Coco Gauff in a rematch of last year’s French Open final after opponent Lesia Tsurenko retired trailing 5-1 in the first set.
The Ukrainian called the doctor and trainer after five games and was apparently feeling unwell, having her blood pressure checked during a lengthy stoppage.
Tsurenko returned to the court but called it a day after only one more game to send Swiatek through to a clash with Gauff.
Gauff, 19, overcame an early wobble in windy conditions to outclass Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 7-5 6-2 and make the quarter-finals
The American is now relishing Wednesday’s rematch with top-ranked Swiatek, who beat Gauff in straight sets in last year’s final.
“Since last year, I’ve been wanting to play her especially at this tournament,” Gauff said shortly before Swiatek went through after just 31 minutes.
“I figured it (a meeting) was going to happen, because I figured I was going to do well and she was going to do well… if you want to be the best you have to beat the best.
“If you want to improve, you have to play the best. The way my career has gone so far, if I see a level and if I’m not quite there at that level, I know I have to improve. You don’t really know what you have to improve on until you see that level.”
Beatriz Haddad Maia became the first Brazilian woman in 55 years to reach the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam when she beat Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 7-5.
Haddad Maia will face seventh-seeded Ons Jabeur after the Tunisian Jabeur made light work of Bernarda Pera in their fourth-round match, beating the American 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour.
Ruud and Rune ready to lock horns again
Holger Rune (left) came out on top against Casper Ruud at the Italian Open in Rome last month
Last year’s runner-up Casper Ruud battled into the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 7-5 win over Chile’s Nicolas Jarry.
The fourth seed struggled against clay-court specialist Jarry, who led in the last two sets but could not take his chances.
Ruud next faces Denmark’s Holger Rune in a rematch of last year’s last eight contest after the sixth seed battled past Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in five sets.
“If we had gone five sets I don’t know how long we would have played,” Ruud said on court Philippe Chatrier.
“I have to thank my team for pushing me in practice. I did the work and physically I was ready for more.”
