Iga Swiatek cruises into Rome last four, Alejandro Tabilo fairy tale continues

ROME – Iga Swiatek was in ominous form for the French Open, as she strolled into the Italian Open semi-finals with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win over American Madison Keys on May 14.

The world No. 1 continued her bid for a third Rome title in imperious style, dealing with Keys in a little more than an hour on a baking centre court.

The four-time Grand Slam champion and three-time Roland Garros winner arrived in the Italian capital off the back of winning a third WTA 1000 title of the season in Madrid.

She maintained her red-hot form at the Foro Italico, where she has not yet dropped a set, ahead of her French Open title defence later in May.

“Today I’m really proud of myself because I feel like I’m playing better and for sure this was the best day for me in Rome,” said Swiatek.

The 22-year-old Pole extended her winning streak to 10 matches (12-1 on clay for the season) and it was her 36th victory in 40 matches on tour in 2024.

It was also Swiatek’s 75th win on clay – her career win-loss record on the surface is now 75-10.

When asked if she has become comfortable with winning, she added: “Every match isn’t always the same... sometimes you feel really great emotions. Like after Madrid final it’s really emotional, and sometimes you feel relief. That’s how life is, it’s a roller coaster sometimes.”

She will face the winner of the clash between third seed Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen for a place in the final.

Swiatek could also yet become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win in the Spanish and Italian capitals in the same season.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Tabilo followed up his shock elimination of Novak Djokovic with a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (12-10) win over Karen Khachanov to book a place in the quarter-finals.

The Chilean stunned 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in straight sets on May 12 and made the last eight after a hugely entertaining battle with Khachanov.

Tabilo has now reached the quarter-finals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time and will next play China’s Zhang Zhizhen, who ousted Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

On May 13, Elina Svitolina again refused to shake hands with Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka after losing their first meeting since their row at the 2023 French Open.

Belarusian second seed Sabalenka beat Ukrainian Svitolina 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9-7), who following their quarter-final at Roland Garros last season, accused Sabalenka of inflaming tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war by insisting on a handshake that was not going to come.

Ukrainian players have refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian rivals in protest at the ongoing war and Svitolina again walked straight to her chair after the match.

Sabalenka will face world No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko in the quarter-finals on May 15. The 26-year-old – who has never won in Rome but is a two-time champion on the Madrid clay – has a chance to match her 2022 run to the last four. AFP