BY JAMES BECK
Rafa Nadal couldn’t have done it better.
There was Iga Swiatek dominating another top 10 opponent on the court Rafa loves so much, while her favorite player is still sidelined by hip surgery and expects his legendary career to come to a close next year.
Indeed, Swiatek may be on her way to becoming a legend herself on Court Philippe Chatrier at the French Open. The Polish Wonder already owns two titles at Roland Garros, and is in line to possibly win two more matches there over the next three days for a third French title.
Of course, that’s a long ways from the number of titles Nadal has won in the Paris Grand Slam. Fourteen titles sound like an out of reach dream for anyone to capture at the same Grand Slam, even the 22-year-old Swiatek.
SWIATEK ON HER GAME
The top-ranked Swiatek was on her game in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, starting strong and then winning nine of the last 12 games against young Coco Gauff in a 6-4, 6-2 win over last year’s runner-up.
Gauff played her usual aggressive game, but at times appeared to go for too much too often. She appeared to overpower Swiatek at times with her big serve, but only on first serves. Otherwise, the 19-year-old American didn’t seem to have her weapons under control much of the match.
IGA ALWAYS APPEARS TO BE READY
No one in the women’s game anticipates better than Swiatek. She always appears to be ready for the next shot.
Opponents can never count Iga out. And allowing her to get ahead in a match is almost like turning over the controls to Swiatek, who already owns three Grand Slam titles and has now advanced to the semifinals in four of her last six Grand Slams.
Swiatek jumped out to a 3-1 lead against the sixth-ranked Gauff, then dropped a pair of games before taking full charge of the match.
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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
