STUTTGART: Top-ranked Iga Swiatek returned from a rib injury with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win over Zheng Qinwen to reach the quarterfinals of the Porsche Grand Prix on Thursday as Coco Gauff suffered an upset loss to Anastasia Potapova.
Swiatek hadn’t played since reaching the semifinals at Indian Wells last month and missed the Miami Open as well as Poland’s match in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers.
After a first-round bye in Stuttgart, Swiatek’s clay season started smoothly in a one-sided first set before Zheng came back from 3-1 down to level the second at 4-4, only for Swiatek to break Zheng’s serve in the next game and serve out the win.
Next up is a quarterfinal meeting with Karolina Pliskova after the Czech player beat Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5). Potapova beat sixth-ranked Gauff 6-2, 6-3 in a match where break points made all the difference.