Poland’s Iga Swiatek plays a shot against Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic during their third round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Swiatek posted a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Czech Marie Bouzkova in the third round at the Roland Garros, while Sinner saw off Russian Pavel Kotov 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Reigning champion Iga Swiatek celebrated her 23rd birthday by brushing aside Marie Bouzkova to reach the French Open last 16 on Friday while Jannik Sinner also powered through.
Later, Carlos Alcaraz will bid to reach the last 16 and edge closer to a semi-final meeting with Sinner, who saw off Russian Pavel Kotov 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Swiatek had to save a match point to avoid an upset defeat by fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a second-round thriller, but she was never in trouble during a 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech Bouzkova.
“I feel good physically, I had a day off yesterday,” said Swiatek. “I don’t feel like the match (against Osaka) stayed with me but we’ll see at the end of the tournament.”
The world number one is a red-hot favourite to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third straight year and become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros titles in the Open era.
She was much closer to her best form on Friday, hitting 34 winners and making only 19 unforced errors.
Swiatek will play Russia’s Anastasia Potapova in the next round on Sunday.
The Polish star’s win-loss record at the tournament stands at 32-2 and she has never failed to reach the second week.
Sinner barely had to break sweat, though, saving the only break point he faced in a dominant display against Kotov.
The Australian Open champion, who will overtake Novak Djokovic as world number one if he reaches the final, will next take on either home hope Corentin Moutet or Austrian Sebastian Ofner for a place in the quarter-finals.
Sinner, who has only lost two matches so far this year, is yet to drop a set in the tournament.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova ended the run of Frenchwoman Chloe Pacquet, winning 6-1, 6-3.
She will next face Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic, who backed up her upset win over Danielle Collins with another comeback victory in a deciding-set tie-break against Donna Vekic.
Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur beat Leylah Fernandez, teeing up a fourth-round match with Clara Tauson, after the Dane followed her surprise second-round success against Jelena Ostapenko by knocking out former finalist Sofia Kenin.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)