World number 1 Iga Swiatek is off and running in the Ostrava Open with a truncated 7-5,2-2 win over Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic who was forced to retire in the second set of the WTA500 event.
Playing her first match since lifting the US Open Trophy, the Pole showed no rust in the opening exchanges to race to a 4-1 lead before the Australian found her feet and pushed her for every point.
Swiatek managed to compose herself in time to win the first set after an error by the Australian on the second set-point.
The second set started with the same intensity as all four games went to deuce before Tomljanovic clutched her knee to signal some trouble and called it quits in order to avoid further trouble.
Her first win at this year’s Ostrava Open means Iga Swiatek now has won 58 matches this year, the most in a WTA season since 2017. She will face either home wild card Karolina Muchova or qualifier Caty McNally in what will be her 11th WTA Tour quarterfinal of the year.
Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova upset no.2 Seed Paula Badosa of Spain 7-6 (4), 6-4 after needing just over two hours and eight match points to reach her fifth quarterfinal of the season.
She will take on the current Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina next who followed up her opening day win with a battling 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5 win over Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
