Italian Open 2022 score, winner and recap: Iga Swiatek's title defense continues as she beats Bianca Andreescu for 26th consecutive win
Iga Swiatek stretched her unbeaten run to 26 matches as she bested Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Italian Open on Friday.
With the win, the Pole remains in the hunt for her second consecutive title in Rome and her fifth trophy of the season.
Iga Swiatek vs Bianca Andreescu Score
In a battle between the two young Major champions, it was the 2020 Roland Garros winner who prevailed over the 2019 US Open titlist 7-6(2), 6-0 in their first tour meeting.
Defending champion Swiatek shook off a pesky Andreescu in the first set before carving out her 13th bagel of the season to advance to the semifinals in Rome.
2 - Iga #Swiatek is the second youngest player to reach four WTA 1000 semifinals in a single season, older only than Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. Jewel.
#IBI22 @WTA @WTA_insider https://t.co/ErByYlrHg0
Iga Swiatek vs Bianca Andreescu Winner
The unstoppable Swiatek picked up her 35th victory against just three losses this season. She is now the firm favorite for the French Open title.
Andreescu, on the other hand, fell to a 6-3 win-loss record for the season.
Masterclass from Iga 🪄
@iga_swiatek beats Andreescu 7-6 6-0.
She's now in the semifinals for the second year in a row!
#IBI22 | #tennis https://t.co/nvGwUEUbKw
Iga Swiatek vs Bianca Andreescu Recap
Swiatek stepped on the gas pedal early, breaking Andreescu on her first try with a deep backhand down-the-line winner to gain an early advantage at 2-0. But she misfired from this wing in her next service game to allow Andreescu to recover and stay close.
The Canadian found her footing from there as she rattled off two more games, the last on another break with a forehand return winner to edge ahead to 3-2.
Swiatek retaliated with a break of her own and went on to hold her serve to regain the lead at 4-3.
This is what we came for 🍿🍿
@iga_swiatek | #IBI22 https://t.co/0GHoyNRcyB
She secured another break of serve with three forehand winners. But the top seed failed to serve out the set as Andreescu responded with an emphatic return to gain a break point which she converted as the Pole double faulted.
The Canadian further fanned her hopes as she held at love to draw level at 5-5. She blanked Swiatek again with another love hold to force a tie-break.
The World No. 1 raced out to a 4-1 lead in the tie-break and never let up en route to sealing the 70-minute opening set.
@iga_swiatek edges the first set over Andreescu, 7-6(2)!Backhand firing today 💣
🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek edges the first set over Andreescu, 7-6(2)!
#IBI22 https://t.co/PtE71ZIeCv
Swiatek continued the momentum in the second set as she broke Andreescu immediately. She reeled off five straight games from there, converting her third match point on a netted backhand by the Canadian.
9 - Iga #Swiatek is only the third player in 2000s to win her first nine matches as the number 1 in the world, after Justine Henin in 2004 and Victoria Azarenka in 2012. Worthy.
#IBI22 @WTA @WTA_insider https://t.co/4xGko6Eoaa
The World No. 1 won 26 of the 35 points they contested in the second set. She churned out a perfect 6-for-6 on break points even as she got broken three times. Swiatek rifled off 27 winners, four of which were in the first-set tie-break, to Andreescu's 12. She committed 14 errors, two more than the Canadian.