TENNIS: Swiatek sweeps past Pegula to set up Rome semi-final showdown with Svitolina

Three-time champion Iga Swiatek produced a dominant performance on Wednesday, dismantling American fifth seed Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 to reach the Italian Open semifinals, where she will face Elina Svitolina.

Svitolina staged a comeback from a set down to defeat second seed Elena Rybakina 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a grueling quarterfinal match, setting up a last-four clash with the Polish fourth seed.

Swiatek was in complete control from the start against Pegula, racing to a 5-0 lead before the American managed to get on the board. The world number one’s intensity never dropped as she conceded just three games in total.

The six-time Grand Slam champion struck 15 winners compared to Pegula’s six, underlining her superiority throughout the match. The victory marked Swiatek’s first win over a top-10 opponent this season.

It also continued her encouraging return to form after beginning work last month with coach Francisco Roig, formerly part of the team of her idol Rafael Nadal.

“I feel much better,” Swiatek said. “I have a lot of confidence in my shots. I used that from the beginning of the match today and kept putting pressure on Jessie, so I’m really happy with how I played.”

A title in Rome would provide a timely boost for the 24-year-old ahead of the French Open, which begins May 24, where she is aiming for a fifth crown at Roland Garros.

Swiatek was forced to retire from the Madrid Open earlier this month in the round of 32 due to illness, leaving the court in tears. However, her path in Rome has opened up following the early exit of world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who was upset in the third round by Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

In the other semifinal, Coco Gauff will meet Cirstea for a place in the final. -Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru and Tommy Lund in GdanskEditing by Christian Radnedge and Pritha Sarkar/Reuters