Swiatek begins Cincinnati open with style

Iga Swiatek made a winning return to the hard courts after battling a three-set encounter at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday night.

Swiatek, the world no. 1 who recently returned after winning bronze at the Olympics for Poland, finished Varvara Gracheva 6-0, 6-7(8), and 6-2, with the Indian failing to win a set.

“For sure, the transition is probably the hardest, from like the slowest surface [at Roland Garros] to the fastest surface,” Swiatek said. “But that’s why I’m still happy with my performance, and looking forward to another match to kind of still do the grinding and implement what I was working on, but not really focusing on the results.”

“Well, for sure, it wasn’t easy, but I’m happy that I could have 6-0, 5-2 in my first match on hard court,” Swiatek said after the match. “But for sure, Varvara was fighting and, and, yeah, I wasn’t able to close in second set, but I’m happy that I could figure it out in the third and start playing the same kind of game as at the beginning of the match.”

Swiatek finished the match with 41 winners to Gracheva’s nine, while hitting 30 unforced errors to 16. The 23-year-old has now recorded 21-0 this season against opponents ranked outside the Top 50.

Swiatek comes into Cincinnati looking to win her 11th WTA 1000 title of her career and fifth WTA 1000 of this season alone. Her 10 WTA 1000 titles are tied for second-most since the tournament’s introduction in 2009, level with Victoria Azarenka and behind only Serena Williams’ 13.

Swiatek will face Marta Kostyuk next in the third round. Kostyuk advanced by defeating Lulu Sun 6-3, 7-5 after a last four exist last year.