Iga Świątek has won her first match of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. The world ranking leader advanced to the third round of the competition by defeating Karolina Pliskova 7:6(6), 6:2. The first set brought some difficulties for the Pole, but in the second, the difference in class was already evident.
The match started excellently for Świątek, as she broke her opponent in the very first game. It seemed that she would continue in the same vein and calmly build her advantage, but in the next game, she made mistakes, including a double fault, and Pliskova quickly equalized. A similar situation occurred a few minutes later – Świątek broke her opponent and took a 4:3 lead, only to lose it shortly after on her own serve.
There were moments when Świątek showed frustration after her unsuccessful shots. Pliskova posed challenges with her strong serves, but the Polish player also fought back, resulting in an evenly matched-game. This was reflected in the tie-break, where the players exchanged leads. Ultimately, Świątek tipped the scales in her favor after two successful forehands.
In the second set, Świątek appeared on the court slightly later than her opponent. The break had a positive effect on the world-ranking leader. Minute by minute, she transitioned into the well-known mode of domination, winning three consecutive games. The longest rally occurred in the sixth game. The players exchanged advantages, but in the end, it was Świątek who came out on top after a Czech player’s shot went out. A break and a score of 5:1.
One could have expected the match to conclude on Świątek’s serve, but at that moment, Pliskova showed her character by breaking the Polish tennis player. In the following game, Pliskova’s unsuccessful shots put her in an extremely difficult situation. Świątek had two match points, but she utilized the first one, securing her advancement to the tournament’s third round.
With calmness, Świątek can now await her next opponent, determined by the match between Sorana Cirstea and Karolina Muchova. Świątek will contend for her next victory on Thursday.