Iga Swiatek becomes first Polish woman to reach US Open quarterfinals
Iga Swiatek of Poland defeats Jule Niemeier of Germany on day eight of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
World number one Iga Swiatek became the first Polish woman to reach the US Open quarterfinals on Monday when she defeated Jule Niemeier in an error-strewn last-16 clash.
French Open champion Swiatek recovered from a set and a break down to see off her 108th-ranked German opponent, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Article continues after this advertisementTop seeded Swiatek will face US eighth seed Jessica Pegula for a place in the semi-finals.
In a mistake-riddled clash on Louis Armstrong Court, there were a total of 15 double faults, 12 breaks of serve and 76 unforced errors.
“It’s really satisfying. This is my first quarter-final in New York so I am really proud of it,” said Swiatek.
Article continues after this advertisementWimbledon quarter-finalist Niemeier hadn’t won a hardcourt match in her career before coming to New York.
She completes the comeback!@Iga_Swiatek secures her spot in the quarterfinals. pic.twitter.com/xs2WQ0KMpT
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2022
However, went into Monday’s match not having dropped a set and fired up to repeat her Wimbledon journey where she had also beaten world number two Anett Kontaveit.
The 23-year-old from Dortmund swept through the opener with breaks in the first and seventh games.
She held her nerve in an eight-minute second game of the second set, saving two break points.
Niemeier sensed a shock victory when she broke for 2-1 but Swiatek eventually prevailed, taking a set which featured seven breaks of serve in 10 games.
In the decider, the Pole raced to a 4-0 lead with the powerfully-built Niemeier only winning five points.
Moments later Swiatek completed victory with her 19th ‘bagel’ set of the season to wrap up a place in a third Grand Slam quarter-final of 2022.
Swiatek said her success in 2022 has been helped by her rigid loyalty to her walk-on play list which includes AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam.
“I have been listening to it all year and I am pretty bored with it,” she said. “But I am not going to change now.”
