Iga Świątek (2. Her rival in the fight for the semi -final will be 14 in the world Mirrra Andrejew, one of the greatest new talents of women's tennis.
The Russian one had to play two matches on Wednesday in the Arab Emirates – the second (with the Vondrousova Market 7: 5, 6: 0) and the third round (with Peyton Stearns 6: 1, 6: 1). This is because on Tuesday the organizers' plans were torpedoed by the weather and some of the meetings were postponed.
Difficult battle in cincinnati
Świątek and Andrejew had the opportunity to measure themselves on the court. In mid -August last year, just before the US Open, a Polish woman found a Russian in the quarter -finals of the WTA 1000 competition in Cincinnati. It was not an easy performance for our tennis player.
Teen Andrejew entered that duel better. She played very aggressively and quickly broke our tennis player. This, in turn, was passive in exchanges, and she made more unforced mistakes. By the minute, the rival of Świątek felt more and more freely on the court.
And yet before the match she was buzzing to journalists: “I know who I play with the next match. I feel that I am ready for it. Sure, he is number one in the world, but he is also a human and I do not think that there is something special there. Of course, he plays great, with a lot of confidence. It's like me.
It wasn't idle talk. Andrejew served well and until the end of the set maintained the advantage of breaking. In the last game she defended two break points on their terms – using aces. After 54 minutes in Ohio it was sensation when she closed the set with a 6: 4 result.
Andrejew surprised
CANAL+ SPORT commentators did not hide his surprise at the time. – I am a bit surprised that there is no stress, nervousness at the Russian woman. She said that she would play without complexes, but one thing to say, and the other is to go to the court and play with such freedom – we heard during the broadcast.
After the first set, Iga Świątek went for a toilet break, and changed to the court. She played more precisely, faster and made fewer mistakes. Mirrir Andrejew could not keep up with this way of playing – another broken forhend and the first break for the then number one of women's tennis. It was enough to win the 6: 3 party.
Read also: What an epic match in Dubai!
– I couldn't play in the same way as always. I felt that we were playing at a similar level. Each point mattered. I needed to push the rival a bit more. I tried to be more active in the second and third sets. Playing the same pace was not enough – She translated a Polish woman after the match, which she changed after the first party.
The decisive set, however, was not a formality, because Andrejewo did not give up. She served like crazy, often hitting the first pass. Saint corresponded to the same, to 5: 5 none of the tennis players had even one chance to break.
In the end there was experience. In the eleventh game, Mirrir Andrejew made three unforced mistakes. It got 15:40 at her website. The nervous teenager threw a rocket against the court. – There is pressure, there is Andrejew's falling – said then commentator Canal+ Sport.
After a while, the Russian hurried at Bekhenda and threw the ball away from the side line once again. She lost her pass and released the rocket from her hands. However, this was not the end of emotions! Why?
It is 6: 5, Świątek serves to close the meeting, and unexpectedly her younger opponent with the remains of strength leads to a break point. Then, however, the favorite impressed. First, she was helped by the defensive. – But she defended herself! Iga's motor preparation is crucial – we heard at the end of the match when the Polish woman came to another flat playing of the Russian woman.
Iga Świątek needed two hours and 40 minutes to defeat Mirra Andrejew 4: 6, 6: 3, 7: 5. A day later in the semi -final she came to Aryna Sabalena, who succumbed to 3: 6, 3: 6.
The meaning of Świątek
After the match with Andrejew in Cincinnati Świątek, she also spoke in a way that was strongly remembered in the tennis environment. Still standing on the court, she gave an interview to Sky Sports. Asked by reporters whether the WTA calendar should be changed, she admitted: “I think we have too many tournaments in the season. It will not end well. It makes tennis less pleasant to us. We deserve to be a little more resting” .
Many experts praised the Polish woman for that statement. Her words from Cincinnati were awarded, among others in the Sport.pl plebiscite “The Best of Iga”. – comments were accurate and bold, for a player with number one in the ranking – explained our juror Jon Wertheim, editor -in -chief of “Sports Illustrated”.
He chose another optics at that time, among others Former leader of the ATP ranking Jewgieży Kafielnikow. “Someone forces you to play? Anything you fucking *** is complaining! I'll tell you what you deserve! You deserve a much smaller salary than now! What do you say?” – Kafielnikow put such a post On the portal X. From that moment the Russian uses every opportunity to attach to our tennis player.
Kafielnikow, which is not surprising, and the warmth speaks about Andrejew. On Thursday, a 17-year-old from Krasnoyarsk will compete from 11:00 Polish time from Świątek for the semi-final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai. Transmission in Canal+ Sport, report at Sport.pl.