PARIS – Defending champion Iga Swiatek held off a fierce challenge from Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk to reach the French Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 victory on Monday.
The eighth-seeded Pole has now won 22 consecutive sets at Roland Garros going into her clash with Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari as she bids to become the first woman to retain the Roland Garros title since Justine Henin in 2007.
Against an 18-year-old opponent who threw everything at her, Swiatek kept her composure on an empty court Philippe Chatrier, with fans not allowed to attend due to Paris’s 9pm COVID-19 curfew.
“There were so many differences (from a day match),” said Swiatek.
“It was hard for me t…
Keep on reading: Swiatek holds off Kostyuk to reach last eight in Paris