World number 1 Iga Swiatek reached the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid in speed by outclassing Romanian Sorana Cirstea (6-1, 6-1) in 77 minutes on Saturday. Within a minute (76), Swiatek was also in a hurry for her entry into contention two days earlier, at the expense of the Chinese Wang Xiyu (52nd), dominated 6-1, 6-4.
The three-time winner of Roland-Garros, on the throne of world tennis for the 100th week, will face the Spaniard Sara Sorribes (55th), who eliminated the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (26th) 7-6 (7/0), 6- 3, for a place in the quarter-finals. For her first tournament on clay in 2024, Swiatek was beaten in the semi-finals by world number 4 Elena Rybakina in Stuttgart (Germany) a week ago.
The 22-year-old Pole reached the final in Madrid in 2023 and lost to world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka. In the evening, the American Coco Gauff, seeded 3, also had no difficulty in defeating the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska (34th in the world), 6-4, 6-1. She will face her compatriot Madison Keys (20th).