Google News AGEL Open: Iga Swiatek a step away from final; Barbora Krejcikova raises Czech hopes
by ABBEY JOHNSON
It was another tough day at the office for world no. 1 Iga Swiatek on Friday at the AGEL Open in Ostrava. The tournament top seed, however, came through in her quarter-finals in straight sets against Cathy McNally. Swiatek needed an hour and 54 minutes to win 6-4, 6-4.
Swiatek won 61% of her first-serve points to McNally’s 55% and 60% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 55%. Swiatek went on to convert four of the 10 break points that came her way on McNally’s serve while saving nine of the 11 break points she had on the American’s serve.
Swiatek had 24 winners and 23 unforced errors while McNally had 18 winners and 23 unforced errors. After the win, Swiatek said, “It was definitely physical – at the beginning of the second set I could feel my energy level went down a little bit.
I'm pretty happy I got it back again and I could use my experience in my important moments because Caty played really well. Tactically it was easier to prepare because I know her game style [from juniors]. She's playing differently to other players.
But on the other hand, a lot of time has passed since we played last time. I knew she'd made progress and I had to be ready”. In the semi-finals, Swiatek will play Ekaterina Alexandrova. Alexandrova defeated Tereza Martincova 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 in an hour and 45 minutes in their quarter-final match.
AGEL Open: Barbora Krejcikova steers lone ship
Meanwhile, in an all-Wimbledon winners’ clash, Elena Rybakina took out Petra Kvitova in their quarter-final match-up. Rybakina, the winner of the 2022 edition of the Championships, defeated Kvitova, the 2011 and 2014 champion, 7-6(5), 6-4 in little over two hours.
The match had just the one break of serve on Kvitova’s while Rybakina saved the only break point she faced. The Kazakh had 31 winners, five more than the Czech’s 26 and had six unforced errors, six fewer than the latter’s 12.
For a place in the final of the AGEL Open, Rybakina will play the last remaining Czech in the draw, Barbora Krejcikova. Krejcikova ended the brilliance of Alycia Parks in their last-eight meeting, 7-6(7), 6-3 in an hour and 49 minutes. Photo Credit: AGEL Open Twitter