Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek dismantled 29th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a devastating 6-3, 6-1 fourth-round clash on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
After a patchy start, the Polish No. 2 seed locked in and gave her Russian opponent no chance, unleashing her backhand with devastating power and accuracy. The second set, in which she made just four unforced errors, was one-way traffic as Świątek played some outstanding tennis. Her precision and angles often left Alexandrova with no time to react, and she served beautifully as well, hitting 7 aces among her 21 winners, cruising to victory in just over an hour.
The signs of her intensity and desire were evident post-match, as she texted her coach to request a practice court session before her on-court interview, where she discussed her performance.
“I would say (happiest) with the intensity and the focus because for sure at the beginning I felt like she played really fast and also the court is a little different so I wanted to find my rhythm but later on I just felt I’m really in my bubble and in the zone. Sometimes I was making risky decisions and I think I forced the ball to go in so I’m just happy with my quality and my serve as well.”
When asked about her biggest motivation, Świątek gave an assured and mature response.
“I think when I learn something new or for example when I struggled with some shots for the most part of last year, I can make progress and feel that’s better. You can play great and you can be at a great level but if your opponent has the perfect day you know, you feel bad that you lost.”
“I think it’s just better to focus on yourself. Obviously we are all here to win tournaments but also mistakes can happen but for me it’s just more important to develop as a player and be a better player every week.“
As the match started both players showed signs of early nerves in their opening service games. On Alexandrova’s serve, Świątek earned three break points, and she needed all three, with a lucky net cord giving her just enough time to find the depth in return to force the error. The Russian’s backhand was working well, and that, along with two double faults from Świątek, helped Alexandrova break back instantly.
For a short period both players settled into the match, with Alexandrova able to soak up the power of Swiatek’s shots, sending them back with interest. Though Świątek was spraying errors on both her serve and backhand, she had enough composure to hold.
At 3-3, on the Alexandrova serve, Świątek produced a brilliant backhand volley, struck almost from behind her body, to earn a 0-15 lead. From there she raised her intensity and broke the Russian, who netted a simple approach shot to hand over the break.
A peerless service game from Świątek quickly forced Alexandrova into serving to stay in the set. With her backhand suddenly scorching through rallies and the Russian offering up far too many second serves, the No. 2 seed turned the screw. Point by point she ground Alexandrova down, and when two double faults and a easy drop shot fell limply into the net, the Pole sealed the first set 6-3 in just 32 minutes.
With the early service nerves and error count of the first set fading into the distance, Świątek began to take command in the second. The Pole’s backhand was in full flow, carving out beautiful angles that caused Alexandrova all sorts of problems. After another routine service game for Świątek, the Russian managed to steady herself enough to hold, saving a break point to keep the 2022 champion at bay.
It felt like only a matter of time before Świątek broke through the faltering Alexandrova resistance. After another routine hold, the Pole’s relentless backhand accuracy finally wore the Russian down, and Świątek duly broke, then held with ease again for a 4-1 lead.
With Świątek’s return game giving Alexandrova no opportunity to get into a rhythm, the frazzled Russian double-faulted, handing Świątek a double break and the chance to serve for the match. Despite a spirited effort from Alexandrova, who earned three break points, Świątek nailed another fierce backhand winner to wrap up the match in just 65 minutes.
Świątek awaits in the quarter-finals for the winner of Amanda Anisimova and Beatriz Haddad Maia, who are playing the night session on Arthur Ashe.
