ROME: Iga Swiatek, the reigning world number one and two-time Rome champion, secured her spot in the Italian Open semi-finals by dispatching 18th seed Madison Keys in straight sets.
The 22-year-old Polish sensation, who clinched titles in Rome in both 2021 and 2022, closed out the match with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 victory in just 77 minutes. This marks Swiatek’s second consecutive win over Keys within a span of 13 days, having previously bested the American with an identical scoreline in the Madrid Open semi-finals.
Swiatek now eyes a historic feat, aiming to emulate Serena Williams’ 2013 achievement by capturing consecutive singles titles in Madrid and Rome in the same season. With an unblemished record thus far in the Italian capital, the four-time Grand Slam champion looks primed for her upcoming French Open title defense.
In the semi-finals, Swiatek is set to square off against third seed Coco Gauff, who secured her berth by triumphing over Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victory. Gauff’s win marks her first victory over a top-10 opponent this season, adding to her credentials as the reigning US Open champion.
