Defending champion Iga Swiatek felt the heat as she booked a French Open final spot for the third time in 4 years with a 6-2 7-6(7) win over Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia on June 8.
The world primary discovered it powerful going through the second set but when it got here to the tiebreak, she produced her full array of pictures to outwit Haddad Maia and arrange a Saturday showdown with unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova.
Swiatek, who lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup final 12 months and in 2020, will retain high spot within the WTA rankings after world quantity two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus was knocked out.
As followers waved a Polish “Poland Garros” flag in stands that have been half empty when the match began, Swiatek confirmed uncommon indicators of frustrations but held herself collectively when it mattered to prevail because the clock hit the 9pm mark.
The 14th-seeded Haddad Maia, whose profession has been hampered by accidents and a 10-month doping ban, had performed 4 consecutive three-set matches to get to the semi-finals.
Swiatek’s earlier clashes had lasted a little bit over an hour every, whereas Haddad Maia had spent practically 13 hours on court docket.
“She’s using the fact that she’s a lefty, she has a nice game for clay, plays top spin and plays aggressive. She’s a fighter and showed that in every match she played here,” mentioned Swiatek.
“I’m glad I was solid and I finished my last shots.”
Sent scurrying across the court docket by Swiatek, the Brazilian relied on her energy to cease the highest seed from working away with the match.
Entertaining conflict
Haddad Maia broke to love within the opening recreation on Court Philippe Chatrier, the place a lot of the ticket holders had determined to skip the beginning of what turned out to be an entertaining conflict.
It didn’t take Swiatek lengthy to discover her groove as she broke her opponent’s serve to degree for 1-1. She bought a second break for 4-2 when Haddad Maia netted a drop shot try and sealed the set with one other break.
It appeared Swiatek would stroll by way of the second set, but Haddad Maier, the primary Brazilian girl to reach the final 4 at main since 1968, had different concepts.
The Brazilian picked herself up and gave Swiatek a run for her cash, establishing two break factors at 4-4 with a surprising forehand down the road.
With two huge first serves, Swiatek saved them and staved off one other earlier than holding, forcing Haddad Maia to serve to keep within the match.
The Brazilian held to drive a tiebreak but she wasted a set level when she buried a straightforward backhand into the web.
Swiatek earned her first match level with a jaw-dropping crosscourt backhand winner, which her opponent saved with a surprising forehand down the road.
The Pole had a second alternative to shut out the match at 8-7, nevertheless, and transformed it on the internet earlier than punching the air in reduction.
