Iga Swiatek is into the second week at Roland Garros after a 6-4 6-4 victory over compatriot Magda Linette.
The four-time champion gained revenge on Linette from her defeat in Miami and is gaining more and more momentum as the tournament goes on.
Linette did well to bounce back in the second set and had a break lead in the opening set but Swiatek proved too strong.
A mouth-watering match awaits Swiatek as she takes on Madrid champion Marta Kostyuk in the last 16.
It was Linette who had the quicker start to the match as she overcame some brilliant shot-making from Swiatek to take a stunning 2-0 lead.
The whole contest had lots of swings of momentum and Swiatek clicked into gear, pulling Linette into uncomfortable positions in the court.
A run of three games in a row put Swiatek in control of the opening set as the four-time champion took a 3-2 lead.
There would be no willingness to give up from Linette though as the Pole was firing on the forehand side and she produced some reckless errors from Swiatek as she broke immediately back.
Some high-quality shot-making was produced from both players as despite the tight scoreline, Swiatek was playing her best tennis of the tournament so far.
The impressive consistency off the forehand side would be rewarded with a break of serve in the ninth game before closing out the opening set to 30 in a tight 40 minutes of tennis.
There was a sharp rise in quality from Swiatek’s racket in the second set as she battled to a break in the opening game.
Momentum was with Swiatek as she made the lead count by securing a double break as Linette could not keep up with the former world number one.
The match was not a foregone conclusion as Linette bounced back efficiently and broke back immediately with some brutal forehands.
Despite a slip in concentration, Swiatek escaped a tight service game in the eighth game and would close out the victory to love.
It’s a fifth consecutive Roland Garros second week for Swiatek who seems to be getting better with each match.
A stern test awaits Swiatek in the last 16 when she takes on Marta Kostyuk as the Ukrainian defeated Viktorija Golubic 6-4 6-3.
The world number 15 is on a 14 match winning streak having won titles in Rouen and Madrid with the 23 year-old continuing her fine form in Paris.
It’s Kostyuk’s first fourth round at Roland Garros since 2021 and is a reward for her hard work this season.
Heading into Sunday’s clash Swiatek currently leads the head-to-head 3-0 but they have never met on clay.
