Iga Swiatek Eases into Italian Open Semifinal

World number one women’s tennis player Iga Swiatek breezed into the semi-finals of the Italian Open with a straight-set victory over 18th seed Madison Keys.

The 22-year-old Pole, who took the title in Rome in 2021 and 2022, wrapped up the 6-1, 6-3 win in 77 minutes.

It is the second time in 13 days that Swiatek has triumphed against Keys, beating the American by the same scoreline in the Madrid Open semifinals.

Swiatek will face third seed Coco Gauff or Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen next.

Swiatek has yet to drop a set in the Italian capital ahead of her French Open title defence later this month.

The four-time Grand Slam winner is aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win back-to-back singles titles in Madrid and Rome in the same season.

In the men’s event, Alejandro Tabilo followed up his surprise win over world number one Novak Djokovic with another upset against Russian 16th seed Karen Kha-chanov.

The Chilean, ranked 32nd in the world, won 7-6, 7-6, to reach his first ATP Masters 1,000 quarter-final.

He will play China’s Zhang Zhizhen, who defeated Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro 7-6, 6-3.

American Taylor Fritz overcame Bulgarian eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 after letting a match point slip during a 20-minute second-set tie-break.