Iga Swiatek, eighth in the WTA rankings, advanced to the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 hard court tournament in Beijing with a dominant round of 16 victory over 18-year-old American Iva Jovic, ranked 13th.
The Polish tennis player secured a 6-1, 6-3 win in a match lasting one hour and 36 minutes. The victory marks Swiatek's 31st career quarterfinal appearance at a WTA 1000 event.
Speaking on the court following her win, Swiatek highlighted the contrast with her previous match against Donna Vekic, where she had been forced to recover from a 4-6, 2-5 deficit with a double break against her. Against Jovic, Swiatek held the advantage from the beginning.
She described the match as completely different and slightly less tricky than her previous outing, noting that she led from the start and maintained control. Swiatek said she was satisfied with her form and her tactical play, calling it a very good day at the office.
Praise for Djokovic
During her on-court interview, Swiatek was asked about Novak Djokovic, who has previously triumphed in Beijing. She called Djokovic the best in history, saying that his consistency, his performances every season, his seven titles at the tournament, and his overall career achievements were truly inhuman.
The WTA 1000 events are the highest tier of tournaments on the women's tennis circuit outside of the four Grand Slams and the year-end finals. The men's equivalent, the ATP Masters 1000, features a similarly elite field, and both tours regularly share facilities at major combined events like the one in Beijing. Djokovic holds the all-time record for men's Grand Slam singles titles, while Rafael Nadal is his closest rival.
Swiatek revealed she had practiced returning serves with Djokovic before the tournament began and said the session had been highly beneficial for her. She noted that Djokovic possesses one of the best returns in the world and expressed hope that they could practice together again in the future. The article noted this praise came despite Swiatek being a huge fan of Nadal.
Looking ahead in Beijing
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam tournament winner, also took time to thank the fans gathered at the stadium in Beijing. She praised the crowd for being very loud and providing great energy, saying she felt their support from the first points of the match. She told the fans she would see them on the training court the following day.
In the quarterfinals, Swiatek will face the winner of Wednesday's match between fourth-ranked American Coco Gauff and 19th-ranked Belgian Elise Mertens.
