Iga Swiatek equals Serena Williams with 27-match successful streak, reaches Italian Open closing

Not since Serena Williams seven years in the past has one other girl had such a sizzling streak in tennis.

High-ranked Iga Swiatek routed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-1 on Saturday to increase her successful streak to 27 matches and attain the Italian Open closing.

Williams gained the identical variety of consecutive matches over 2014 and 2015. The all-time longest streak belongs to Martina Navratilova, who put collectively 74 straight wins in 1984.

“I am simply continually stunning myself that I can do higher and higher,” Swiatek stated. “I really feel like I truly can consider now that the sky is the restrict. That is the enjoyable half.”

Swiatek improved to 10-Zero because the world No. 1, turning into the primary girl to win every of her first 10 matches because the top-ranked ladies’s participant since Victoria Azarenka did so in 2012 by successful her first 14, in response to ESPN Stats & Data.

Aiming to defend her Rome title and win her fifth straight event, Swiatek dominated the eighth-ranked Sabalenka with a mixture of energy, consistency and finesse.

Whereas she struggled together with her serve at instances, Swiatek, 20, was in a position to persistently crush each forehand and backhand winners on the sluggish red-clay courtroom on the Foro Italico. She additionally hit a fragile backhand half-volley winner within the closing recreation of the primary set.

Swiatek had the identical variety of winners and unforced errors, 15, whereas Sabalenka produced simply eight winners and had 31 unforced errors. When it was over, Swiatek urged the gang to cheer louder for her by waving her arms.

“At this time I felt like I actually understood the clay,” Swiatek stated.

The hard-hitting Sabalenka took a medical timeout late within the second set and had her again handled.

Swiatek, who was a shock champion on the French Open in 2020 when she was ranked No. 54, would be the favourite so as to add a second title at Roland Garros when the 12 months’s second Grand Slam begins subsequent weekend.

First, although, Swiatek will face both Ons Jabeur — who’s on a 10-match successful streak — or Daria Kasatkina in Sunday’s closing.

There’s extra to Swiatek’s tremendous season than her successful streak.

With greater than half the season nonetheless to go, Swiatek has already gained as many matches this 12 months (36) as she did in all of 2021.

She additionally grew to become the seventh participant to succeed in two finals in Rome earlier than turning 21 after Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Gabriela Sabatini, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Venus Williams.

The Related Press contributed to this report.