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Wimbledon Women’s Day 3
Iga Swiatek blew into the third round of Wimbledon on a wet Wednesday, turning in an efficient 70-minute thrashing of Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo.
The top-seeded four-time Grand Slam winner is trying to fill in a gap on her impressive tennis resume at the only major where she has not reached at least the quarter-finals.
Swiatek wasted no time on a day in which more rain hit play in early afternoon with 87 matches to try and complete.
That plan went wrong a few hours in, with 10 matches initially cancelled after interruptions from passing rain showers threw the Day 3 schedule behind.
“I’m happy that my matches were scheduled under the roof, so I always was certain that it’s going to actually happen,” the WTA No. 1 said.
“It’s a little bit easier to prepare knowing that; but I know I would still be ready anyway if my match was suspended or something.
“I have the normal Grand Slam rhythm with one day off, one day of playing matches.
Tournament officials have drawn fire after Tuesday’s near washout for going ahead and putting on some second-round contests while dozens from the first round had not even started.
Swiatek wants to concentrate on keeping her concentration level.
“I feel really confident, I was able to do everything tactically as I wanted to, as my coach wanted me to do, in the first and second rounds.”
Former Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova advanced over Brit wild card Heather Watson 6-2, 7-5.But Katie Boulter brought a ray of home sunshine to the proceedings with her 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Australian Daria Saville.
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine shocked Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari with a 0-6, 7-5, 6-2 fightback.
No. 26 Kostyuk has long been a fervent supporter of her country since the Russian invasion and drew the puzzling wrath of a French Open crowd last month as she left the court in defeat.
“That was questionable behavior from the fans. I mean, they can do whatever
they want, honestly, but I just didn’t understand it – I don’t think I ever will.
“The support here is different, even though in the beginning of the match, I’d say that they were supporting Maria more than me.
“That’s understandable, because she’s more known than me and a Top 10 player.
“I was very happy with the support at the end of the match – throughout the match, also.”
The 11th-seeded Daria Kasatkina secured the first result of the day in mid-afternoon with a 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Brit Jodie Burrage.
The seed, losing finalist at the weekend in Eastbourne, reached a quarter-final here five years ago.
“I like to think I’ve improved since then,” she said. “I’m happy to be back here.
“It was tricky as I didn’t hit on Centre court before this match and the grass plays differently.
“But I’m happy with how I handled it and I’m glad to be through.
“It’s always difficult playing a British girl with the crowd supporting her; I was nervous and I felt the electricity.”
Popular Estonian Anett Kontaveit, retiring after Wimbledon at age 28 due to injury and a former WTA No. 2, extended her stay here by defeating Italian qualifier Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-4.
Kontaveit’s match was relegated to a graveyard court with barely any seating for spectators, another clumsy move from organisers which rang alarm bells in the locker room.
Surprise Roland Garros semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Mair, advanced past Kazakh Yulia Putintseva3-6, 6-0, 6-4.
2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens beat Swede Rebeca Peterson 6-2, 6-3.
Aryna Sabalenka will work to break through on the Stuttgart indoor clay as the world No. 1 bids for the title in a rare Monday final against Jelena Ostapenko in a battle of Grand Slam winners.
Double Australian Open holder Sabalenka is desperate for a change of luck after losing finals here in 2021 (Ash Barty), 2022 and 2023 (the last two against Iga Swiatek).
The top seed booked her spot with Sunday’s 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Italian Jasmine Paolini, duplicating a defeat of the two-time finalist at the majors from last month in Miami.
Ostapenko, who won Roland Garros in 2017, defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-4.
With the event taking a day off for Good Friday, the final is delayed by 24 hours,
Sabalenka got a bye in the first round and a walkover in the second and only began her first actual match on Saturday.
She showed no rust in her semi-final, ending the first set against Paolini without an unforced error. She overcame a 3-0 lead from the Italian in the second set but got it back before an insurance break for 5-4 followed by victory in 89 minutes.
Ostapenko will be competing in her first clay final in nearly eight years – her first since Roland Garros back in the day.
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Sabalenka hoping to turn her luck in Stuttgart
Rune rises to the occasion with defeat of Alcaraz
Zverev grabs a birthday gift with third Munich title
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