MADRID OPEN: BARTY ADVANCE TO QUARTER FINAL BEAT SWIATEK 7-5, 6-4  

Australian Ashleigh Barty on Monday showed class of good tennis beating Iga Swiatek who was delight to watch in her power baseliner. Both players having won the Roland Garros in 2019 and 2020 were meeting for the first time and expectation in the match was high at the Manolo Santana Stadium in a match that lasted over an hour thirty minutes.

Barty who is the top seed obviously used her all counter strategy to stylishly withstanding the baseliner couple with spin from Swiatek who was 14th seeded. The game ended 7-5, 6-4 to advantage of Barty who at break points saved six of the seven she face and converted all three of her own.

Although Swiatek had an exciting game with more wins, especially at important points, however, serving at 6-5 in the first set, Barty was down 15-30 before making some swift reaction in her game hitting two forehand winners and serving the match at 5-4 in the second. Barty maintained her cool hitting another forehand winner with Swiatek unable to return serves, she stylishly closed it to her advantage.

Barty said after the game “I think the more you play someone in match play, you learn tendencies, you pick up on patterns and things like that under pressure”

She praised Swaitek for the exciting tennis and strongly desires they both will have many games to play in the coming tournaments.

“I think it was a learning curve for both of us. Yeah, I’m sure that match tonight will be the first of many that we’ll play.” Barty said.

Barty will now face Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, with the Madrid Open a build up to the Roland Garros defending champion Swiatek will need to double her effort in her desire to retain her title in Paris.