Swiatek primed for another shot at French Open title as semis loom

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) – Cracks have appeared in Iga Swiatek’s armour in her past two French Open up matches, but it is however hard to see past the Polish environment number one as the very hot favorite at Roland Garros as she gears up for her semi-closing in Paris.

The 21-yr-old Swiatek has gained 33 game titles in a row and need to she see off Russian Daria Kasatkina on Thursday she will match Serena Williams’s winning operate from 2013.

The 2020 champion, looking to become only the fourth female to carry the Suzanne Lenglen Cup extra than when because 2000 – soon after Serena Williams, Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova – has dropped one particular set and showed some early nerves in the quarter-finals.

But she seems to be in a different league tennis-intelligent, and Kasaktina, who has a impressive forehand and a potent baseline video game, will have to have to be mentally challenging and uncover a way other than via groundstrokes to toss the Pole off system.

Kasatkina, 25, will be actively playing in her very first big semi-finals and looks to like her prospects despite acquiring misplaced all three of her matches in opposition to Swiatek this year in straight sets.

“We played couple instances this calendar year, but I suggest Alright, I missing those people matches, but that was a various tale. It was a really hard court, starting of the 12 months, I was not in the very same shape as I am now,” she stated.

“So I cannot look at what we are going to have tomorrow and what we had in February, March when we ended up enjoying. So it is likely to be a absolutely distinctive match.”

Just one point is certain: Kasatkina will will need to be ready from the to start with position.

“I type of want to start from the beginning and possibly acquire edge of what I know about her activity,” claimed Swiatek.

“The principal vital for me is to just participate in my tennis and participate in aggressively and check out to dominate from the commencing.”

In the other semi-closing, American 18th seed Coco Gauff, who has been maturing into a good claycourt participant, faces Italian Martina Trevisan.

Gauff, 18, was stopped by eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova in the quarter-finals past yr and she is having a diverse technique this time.

“I feel like last 12 months I was on the lookout at the finish line, and now I’m not searching at anything actually other than that ball in entrance of me,” Gauff explained.

“So I assume to be straightforward, heading into the up coming match I’m just likely to solution it the exact. I necessarily mean, I treatment about the benefits, certainly, but also at the same time I don’t. Like if I gave it my all I’m not likely to be upset.”

The unseeded Trevisan designed it to the quarter-finals in 2020, wherever she lost to Swiatek, and she will now look to emulate her fellow Italians Francesca Schiavone and Sara Errani, finalists in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Schiavone won the title in 2010.

Reporting by Julien Pretot Editing by Hugh Lawson

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