World number 1 Iga Swiatek is through to the semifinals of the Ostrava Open after a 1 hour and 54 minute battle against American Caty McNally.
Swiatek and McNally share a history together, having won the girls’ French Open titles in 2018 but that geniality was nowhere to be found as the two went at each other throughout the contest.
It was the American who broke first after threatening in each of the first three games to lead 3-2. Yet, as she has so often done, the Pole fought back to take the first set.
In the second, it was McNally’s turn for a comeback as she battled back from 3-0 down to equalise at 3-3 before faltering at the wrong moments to drop the match and her chance for her first WTA 500 semifinal.
Swiatek, after dealing with McNally, will now take on Seoul champion Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinal of the Ostrava Open which will be the world no.1’s 10th semifinal of 2022.
With a win, she will tie Caroline Wozniacki for 60 wins in a season, the mark which was set in 2017.
Earlier, Barbora Krejcikova saved a setpoint against American qualifier Alycia Parks to end her memorable run in Ostrava with a 7-6(7), 6-3 and set up a showdown with Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina who beat Petra Kvitová 7-6, 6-4.
