Iga Swiatek looks ahead to Wimbledon with opening win at Bad Homburg

BERLIN – With one eye on Wimbledon, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek came from behind to win her first grass-court match of the season at Bad Homburg on Monday, before saying she is focusing on “problem-solving” on the green surface.

Playing at the traditional SW19 warm-up tournament for the first time, the Pole survived a scare before defeating German world No. 58 Tatjana Maria in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.

Maria broke Swiatek twice in the first set, taking advantage of a number of unforced errors.

But four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek found her composure ahead of the second, winning the next two sets, dropping just two games.

The Polish star was clearly looking forward to the All England Club Grand Slam, which starts on Monday.

“She has a different game style,” Swiatek said of her “tricky” opponent.

“But I’m pretty glad that I figured it out, because I guess problem-solving on grass is the most important thing.

“I really just wanted to look forward and think about what I could change.

“I know I have the game for that. I just had to find it a little bit.”

Swiatek, who has won the French Open three times and the US Open once, also thanked the fans, including “a lot of Polish people as usual” for helping her comeback efforts.

The 22-year-old has won three of the past five Grand Slam titles, including defending her

French Open crown earlier in June, but has not won the Australian Open or Wimbledon.

Despite her strong form, she is yet to demonstrate her strengths consistently on grass, with a 7-5 career record on the greens.

Top-ranked Swiatek’s best showing at Wimbledon is 2021’s appearance in the fourth round, having made at least the semi-finals of every other Grand Slam.

Before that, she will first take on Jil Teichmann in the last 16 at Bad Homburg.

Earlier on Monday, fourth seed Mayar Sherif came from a set down to beat German Anna-Lena Friedsam 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Canadian fifth seed Bianca Andreescu overcame a tough three-set battle against Briton Sonay Kartal 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 while seventh seed Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto was eliminated 6-3, 6-4 at the hands of unseeded Czech Katerina Siniakova.

In Tuesday’s action at the Eastbourne International, fourth seed Ons Jabeur beat Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 to make it to the round of 16.

A runner-up at Wimbledon last season to Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the sixth-ranked Tunisian will be hoping that she can get in form to pose a threat at the All England Club.

“I think it was a great match today from me,” said Jabeur.

“I was trying to get used to the grass more. But it’s always great to come back here in Eastbourne. People are amazing.

“For me, it’s fun to play in front of you. So thank you for coming.”

Meanwhile, Petra Kvitova will not defend her title at Eastbourne following her Berlin Open win last week.

The ninth-ranked Czech was scheduled to face Latvia’s world No. 17 Jelena Ostapenko in a match-up which raised eyebrows as the two former Grand Slam champions were set to take on each other on an outside court.

Before that could play out, however, Kvitova withdrew, seemingly to give herself a rest ahead of Wimbledon.

“I’m very sad that I have to withdraw from the tournament in Eastbourne and not have the chance to defend my title,” she said.

“It’s one of my favourite stops on tour and I wish everyone involved a great week.” AFP