World No. 1 Swiatek survives scare at French Open; Medvedev and Tsitsipas crash

PARIS: Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek took her winning streak to 32 matches in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday, while men's world number two Daniil Medvedev and fourth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out.

Swiatek, of Poland, survived a scare at the hands of injured Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen, dropping the first set before going on to make the quarter-finals. Swiatek prevailed 6-7 (5/7), 6-0, 6-2 to equal the third best winning streak this century of 32 matches set by Justine Henin 14 years ago. “She played amazing tennis,” said Swiatek. “I am proud to be still in the tournament.”

Qinwen said severe stomach cramps ruined her hopes of completing a shock win against world number one Swiatek.

“I couldn’t go against my nature. I wish I can be a man so that I don’t have to suffer from this. It’s tough,” Zheng said, in reference to her menstrual pain.

In an 82-minute opening set, 74th-ranked Zheng saved five set points, had two of her own and then clawed her way back from 2/5 down in the tiebreak to stun the top seed. As the 2020 Roland Garros champion’s streak looked in peril, Zheng required a medical timeout at 0-3 in the second set for a leg injury.

Zheng, who had defeated 2018 champion Simona Halep on her way to the fourth round, returned with her right thigh heavily strapped and quickly dropped the second set. Swiatek carved out a double break in the decider against her tiring opponent, whose injury contributed to her 46 unforced errors, and will face US 11th seed Jessica Pegula for a place in the semifinals.

Pegula downed Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to add a last-eight place in Paris to similar runs at the Australian Open in 2021 and 2022. Daria Kasatkina and compatriot Veronika