'I felt like every point mattered,' Iga Swiatek gets past former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber to get into Italian Open quarterfinals

For sure, Angie was playing well. I felt like every point mattered… I have huge respect for Angie. It’s nice that she’s back and playing well. She’s a really nice person. I always enjoy these matches for sure. Great to see Angie competing at a high level again. Iga Swiatek said after the match 

The match lasted for an hour and 38 minutes, in which the Pole improved her head-to-head record against Kerber 3-0. Before this encounter, they last met in this year’s United Cup. 

Iga Swiatek will next face Madison Keys 

Following the thumping victory over Angelique Kerber, Iga Swiatek will next face 18th seed Madison Keys of the United States in the quarterfinals. The American defeated Spain’s Sorana Cirstea in a match that was halted by environmental protesters for around 45 minutes. 

The 22-year-old beat Keys in the Madrid Open semifinal in their last encounter before lifting her maiden trophy in the Spanish capital by beating Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in a thriller. Swiatek has faced Keys four times, leading the head-to-head record 3-1. 

They first met in the 2021 Rome Open, which Swiatek won, and the result was no different when they met in 2022 in Indian Wells. The only time Keys won was in the 2022 Cincinnati Open.  

Swiatek has now won 33 matches this season, leading the charts with Elena Rybakina occupying the second position (30 victories). The World No.4 from Kazakasthan withdrew from the Italian Open due to illness. 

Swiatek is aiming for her fourth title. The win over Kerber was also her ninth consecutive win on clay.

Before her win over Kerber, Swiatek defeated Bernarda Pera and Yulia Putintseva, both in straight sets. The Pole won the title in Rome in 2022 by beating Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-2, and in 2021 by beating Karolina Pliskova.