Passport to RG, Day 8—Superb Swiatek swiftly stuns Simona Halep
The round of 16 kicks off Sunday and along the way, just one of 16 singles matches features the pre-tournament 'projected' seeded matchups. How long will the string of upsets continue at Roland Garros?
October 04, 2020
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From first ball to last, keep up to date with the latest from Roland Garros every day on TENNIS.com. We'll have match updates, photos, video highlights and more in our daily notebook: Passport to RG.
Two games lost, two sets in the bag for Nadal; Sinner strikes first
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has converted all four of his break point chances to race out to a 6-1, 6-1 lead against 20-year-old qualifier Sebastian Korda. Nadal has never lost in 45 matches as the No. 2 seed at Roland Garros. Korda has been unsuccessful in pulling the trigger, compiling 31 unforced errors to 10 winners.
Jannik Sinner clinched his first set, 6-3, versus sixth seed Alexander Zverev. After falling behind 1-3, Zverev had five chances to get back on serve, including twice in the final game. The German would let out his frustration with a pair of racquet smashes before Sinner closed out the set.
Halep on her 6-1, 6-2 loss to Swiatek
"All the credit to her, she played unbelievable today. She was everywhere and she hit all the balls very strong, very powerful," Simona Halep told press after falling to Iga Swiatek. "It was a little bit cold and I couldn't be at my best, but, yeah, she played really well and it was her match today."
The 2018 champion is taking the defeat in stride, adding, "I realize that it was a fantastic year with all the tough moments that we all had, so I'm not going to ruin the whole year just for a match. Of course it's not easy to take it, but I'm used to some tough moments in this career. So I will have a chocolate and I will be better tomorrow."
UPSET: Another seed falls, as terrific Trevisan tops Bertens
The Paris dream keeps getting better for Martina Trevisan.
After winning her main draw opener following a successful qualification into the event, Trevisan scored her first Top 60 win over Coco Gauff in the second round. Two days later, she saved two match points to oust Maria Sakkari for her first Top 25 win. Now, Trevisan has added a Top 10 victory.
The world No. 159 adds to Iga Swiatek's shocker by knocking off No. 5 seed Kiki Bertens, 6-4, 6-4, winning 55 percent of her return points, finishing with a backhand lob winner, to set an unlikely final eight matchup with the Pole. With Trevisan's victory, just four women's seeds remain, and we're guaranteed to add a third unseeded quarterfinalist later when Barbora Krejcikova faces Nadia Podoroska.
UPSET: Superb Swiatek swiftly stuns Simona
Outplayed in every sense of the way, the heavy favorite on the women's side is out of the tournament.
Iga Swiatek, who managed just one game against Simona Halep in the round of 16 of Roland Garros last year, gives the Romanian a dose of her own medicine with a stunning performance, 6-1, 6-2. Swiatek kept Halep off balance from start to finish, using pace, angles and pure fearlessness to outplay the two-time major champion. In taking it to Halep, the 19-year-old struck 30 winners (to Halep's 12) and did not face a break point to reach her first major quarterfinal.
"It is my favorite. I always loved to play here, even when I was a junior," Swiatek told the crowd. "This week is like a dream come true for me. And I hope it's going to be longer."
As a result, the top half of the women's draw is guaranteed to boast a first-time major finalist. Halep suffered her first defeat since losing to Garbine Muguruza in the Australian Open semifinals.
Pole pouring it on...
Nine break points came and went for Iga Swiatek, before she finally put the hammer down to secure a double break advantage on world No. 2 Simona Halep. Serving at 6-1, 4-1, is this match all but Swiatek's at this point?
Swiatek up a set and a break but Halep fighting; Trevisan up on Bertens
In a crucial third game of set two, Halep erased four break points to avoid going down a set and a double break to Swiatek. Halep is yet to get a single look on return, will that last hold be the swing game she needs to get back in this contest?
Meanwhile, over on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, qualifier Maria Trevisan opened a 6-4 advantage against No. 5 seed Kiki Bertens. The Dutchwoman hit 0 aces to four double faults, finishing with 17 unforced errors in dropping the set.
Swiatek surprises Halep to take commanding lead
2019 Roland Garros round of 16: Simona Halep wins first set vs. Iga Swiatek, 6-1
2020 Roland Garros round of 16: Iga Swiatek wins first set vs. Simona Halep, 6-1
What a set from the Polish teenager, steamrolling the 2018 champion after 24 minutes of play. Swiatek pummeled 17 winners to seven unforced errors and won 76 percent of her return points to dominate the top seed in every way. Can she sustain this?
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First set of quarterfinal spots up for grabs
The round of 16 kicks off and along the way, just one of 16 singles matches features the pre-tournament 'projected' seeded matchups. How long will the string of upsets continue?
Simona Halep, Rafael Nadal, Elina Svitolina and Dominic Thiem will all take Court Philippe-Chatrier hoping to get through to the final eight at Roland Garros. Will any of them stumble in their quest to do so?
Halep, the top women's seed, begins with the woman she dropped just one game against in last year's round of 16, Iga Swiatek. One has to think today's contest will be much more competitive given Swiatek's progress over the past 16 months. Will she take a page out of the 2018 champion's playbook and "analyze what [she] did wrong" to flip the script? Halep was emphatic in her last match, avenging her 2019 Paris defeat to Amanda Anisimova, 6-0, 6-1, for her 17 consecutive win.
Getty Images
Twelve-time champion Nadal then takes on the last American man standing, qualifier Sebastian Korda. The American, who named his cat after the 19-time major champion, is appearing in just his second major main draw. Nadal is 89-0 in career sets played at Roland Garros versus opponents ranked outside of the Top 60.
Following that clash, third seed Svitolina bids for her third trip to the Paris quarterfinals, but will have to deny the hopes of a nation when she squares off against Caroline Garcia. Their prior contests have been extremely competitive, though Garcia owns a 3-1 advantage in their head-to-head series, with all three victories coming in three sets.
Wild card Hugo Gaston will keep the French flag flying when he battles two-time defending finalist Dominic Thiem. Like Halep and Nadal, No. 2 seed Thiem is yet to drop a set during the tournament. The US Open champion will be a considerable favorite, though Gaston took out the player many expected the Austrian to face, Stan Wawrinka.
In what could be the match of the day, sixth seed Alexander Zverev meets Italian Jannik Sinner on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The two other seeded competitors also looking to advance on that court are No. 5 Kiki Bertens and No. 12 Diego Schwartzman.
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