Iga Swiatek Cruises into Madrid Open Last 16 with Dominant Win

World number one Iga Swiatek made quick work of Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the third round of the Madrid Open on Saturday, winning 6-1, 6-1 in just 78 minutes. The four-time Grand Slam champion was in top form on her favored clay surface as she advanced to the last 16 of the tournament.

Swiatek, who lost last year's Madrid final to Aryna Sabalenka, improved her season record to 26-4 with the victory. She generated 14 break points against Cirstea's serve and converted five of them, while never facing a break point herself. The Polish star won all four games on Cirstea's serve in the first set and two out of three in the second.

The dominant performance highlighted Swiatek's clay court prowess. Since 2000, her 87% winning percentage on the surface is the highest on the WTA Tour, trailing only Chris Evert, Margaret Court, and Steffi Graf in the Open Era. "I think I used the conditions pretty well," Swiatek said, comparing the match to her victorious run at the 2020 French Open which was held in October.

Swiatek will next face Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, ranked 55th, for a spot in the quarterfinals. She holds a 3-0 record against Sorribes Tormo, including a win in Madrid last year. "She's a Spaniard, will have the home crowd behind her and is really solid. A fighter as well," Swiatek said of her upcoming opponent.

Why this matters: Swiatek's impressive form on clay bodes well for her chances of capturing a third consecutive French Open title next month. The Madrid Open is the only significant European clay court tournament the 21-year-old has yet to win.

With the victory, Swiatek took another step towards potentially winning her ninth WTA 1000 singles title. She has now reached the round of 16 in six of her seven main draw appearances at WTA 1000 events on clay (85.7%), the highest percentage of any player since the format's introduction in 2009. Swiatek will look to continue her dominant run in Madrid and build momentum heading into the French Open, where she will be the heavy favorite to lift the trophy once again.

Key Takeaways

• Iga Swiatek defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-1 in 78 minutes at the Madrid Open.
• Swiatek has a 26-4 season record and a 87% career win rate on clay.
• Swiatek will face Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in the round of 16.
• Swiatek's strong clay court form bodes well for her French Open title defense.
• Swiatek has reached the round of 16 in 6 of 7 WTA 1000 clay events since 2009.