In-form duo Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur power into next round at Italian Open

In-form duo Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur both secured straight-sets victories in the second round of the Italian Open on Wednesday.

Swiatek is on course for a fifth straight WTA triumph after seeing off Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-0 in Rome, while Madrid Open winner Jabeur defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-2.

The 20-year-old Pole is in red-hot form after winning her last four tournaments and will be eyeing a second title at Roland Garros after winning there as a teenager in 2020.

Swiatek dropped just nine points in a second-set demolition of Ruse which highlighted the gulf between the two players and set-up a third-round match with Victoria Azarenka, who eased to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Colombia's Camila Osorio earlier in the day.

“I'm pretty proud I could get into the rhythm today, just take some lessons during the match and improve my game, game by game,” Swiatek said after her 24th consecutive victory.

“That was pretty solid match for me … I think she's playing really solid tennis. I could feel that today on my racquet, that she could really give back some strong hits.”

Tunisia's Jabeur, who became the first Arab or African player to secure a WTA 1000 crown when she defeated Jessica Pegula in Madrid, secured her eighth straight win thanks to victory against unseeded Australian Tomljanovic.

iga gonna iga (win matches as fast as possible