World number 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek qualified for the final in Rome on Saturday. He will try to win his fifth consecutive tournament after his victories in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Stuttgart.
The 20-year-old Polish, big favorite of Roland-Garros (May 22-June 5), signed his 27th consecutive victory by atomizing Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, 3rd seed, in two quick sets of 6-2 and 6 -1, on the clay courts of Foro Italico.
The winner of Roland-Garros in 2020 will face the final Tunisian Ons Jabeur (7th), who won last week’s tournament in Madrid in the absence of Swiatek or Russian Daria Kasatkina (23rd), against other scheduled semi -final for Saturday afternoon.
As in the final in Stuttgart, the fourth tournament so far Swiatek has won at the end of April, the Pole has left no hope for the Belarusian. The latter is extremely overwhelmed, demoralized at his opponent’s accuracy and physically reduced by the end of the fight.
In Rome, the Polish returned after a short break to dedicate himself five or six days without a racket and rest the painful arm. It has been flying on its subject since the start of the week with four wins without leaving even the slightest run.
Since 2000, only Venus Williams (35, the record), Serena Williams (34) and Justine Henin (32) have done better than the 27 consecutive wins Pole has so far.
Swiatek’s last defeat began on February 16, in the second round of the Dubai tournament, against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko.
Source: Radio-Canada