05/13/24 10:53:00
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05/13 10:50 CDT Swiatek on course for Madrid-Rome double; facing Keys in the
quarters
Swiatek on course for Madrid-Rome double; facing Keys in the quarters
ROME (AP) --- Top-ranked Iga Swiatek remained on course for an uncommon
Madrid-Rome double after beating Angelique Kerber to reach the Italian Open
quarterfinals on Monday.
It was a ninth straight win for Swiatek, and the two-time Rome champion will
next face Madison Keys after the American player eased past Sorana Cirstea 6-2,
6-1 in a match that was interrupted by an environmental protest.
Swiatek needed eight set points to secure the opener but had no such problems
at the end of the second, sealing a 7-5, 6-3 victory on the first match point
when Kerber's return went wide.
The match against Keys will be a repeat of last week's Madrid Open semifinal.
The German is attempting to become the first woman to win the "dirt double"
since Serena Williams in 2013.
Keys' match in Rome was temporarily suspended at 3-1 in the second set after
two protesters jumped onto the court and threw confetti, while others from the
environmentalist group glued themselves to the stands.
"As soon as I saw them come over the barrier, my first thought was like,
?Should I go tackle one of them?' But I stopped myself," Keys said. "And then
the chair (umpire) started yelling at me to go sit down.
"Unfortunately, it's starting to become a little bit of a common thing that's
happening."
The players returned to the locker room and the protestors did not resist when
security intervened before police and firefighters also arrived to handle the
situation.
Another American is also through to the quarterfinals after third-seeded Coco
Gauff rallied to beat Paula Badosa 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.
Both of the Madrid finalists are out of the men's tournament after losing their
third-round matches.
Last week's winner Andrey Rublev, who was seeded fourth in Rome, was upset by
French qualifier Alexandre Muller 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 for his first win over a top-10
player.
Madrid runner-up Felix Auger-Aliassime was beaten by ninth-seeded Alex De
Minaur 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4.
Defending champion and second seed Daniil Medvedev was playing Serbian
qualifier Hamad Medjedovic later.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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