Defending champion Iga Swiatek rallied from a set down to beat Miami Open semifinalist Alexandra Eala 4-6 6-4 6-2 reaching the third round at the Madrid Mutua Open.
Teenager Eala earned an early break in the first game and saved two break points in each of her first two service games of the opening set. Eala saved another break in the sixth game before breaking serve at love in the seventh game to open up a 5-2 lead. Swiatek pulled one break back in the eighth game but Eala converted her third set point when Swiatek sent a back long.
Swiatek converted just one of her six break points in the opening set.
Eala started the second set with an early break in the first game of the second set, but Swiatek broke straight back in the second game. Eala broke for the second time in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead, but Swiatek pulled back on serve in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Swiatek broke serve in the 10th game to seal the second set 6-4 forcing the match to the third set. The Polish player broke twice in the second and sixth game. Eala pulled a break back and saved a match point as Swiatek made a backhand error. Swiatek sealed the win when Eala went long on the second match point. Swiatek set up a third round against Linda Noskova.
Swiatek avenged her defeat against Eala, who beat her Polish rival at the Miami Open.
“I felt like I was making too many errors from everything, so there wasn’t like one specific adjustment I had to make. For sure I wanted to keep my margins and play a little bit more safe, to just play more balls in because I was making some unforced errors that weren’t really necessary”,said Swiatek in the post match interview.
Coco Gauff came back from one set down to beat Diana Yastremska 0-6 6-2 7-5. Gauff wasted three match points when she was leading 5-4 in the third set and dropped her serve when she was serving for the set. Gauff broke serve to take a 6-5 lead and sealed the win on her serve on her fourth match point.
