Iga Swiatek’s 20-set winning streak ended. Doesn’t matter, because her run of consecutive match victories is now up to 32.
The No. 1-ranked Swiatek shook off an uncharacteristically problematic stretch and came back to beat 19-year-old Zheng Qinwen of China 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-2 Monday in the fourth round at Roland Garros.
Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, took leads of 3-0 and 5-2 in the first set but couldn’t close it out, wasting five set points in all. In the tiebreaker, Swiatek claimed five consecutive points to lead 5-2 — and the 74th-ranked Zheng responded by reeling off the next five points.
That was the first set ceded by Swiatek since April 23.
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Zheng’s movement was not as good at the start of the second set and she took a medical timeout to have her upper right leg taped while down 3-0. Swiatek grabbed eight straight games to own the second set and take a 2-0 lead in the third and would not let the lead slip away.
When it ended, she screamed “Come on!” and shook her right fist.
Swiatek has not lost a match since February, earning five consecutive titles. No woman has produced more wins in a row since Serena Williams had a 34-match streak end in 2013.
Swiatek’s quarterfinal opponent will be 11th-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States.
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