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Iga Świątek progressed to the second round of the 2023 French Open, although she faced a tough challenge from Cristina Bucsa of Spain on Tuesday. Eventually, she emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 6-0, encountering no major difficulties.
Świątek had only encountered her opponent from Chisinau once before, during the third round of the Australian Open in January. On that occasion, she dominated the match, winning 6-0, 6-1.
During Tuesday’s match, it quickly became evident that it wouldn’t be as straightforward. Bucsa displayed strong returns, executing a powerful backhand down the line. Świątek, however, swiftly countered with a re-break, but she continued to struggle with her service game. Nonetheless, she managed to win the set, securing it 6-4.
Fortunately, despite losing the first two points, the Polish tennis player played much better in the second set. From the third game onward, Świątek gained momentum, winning game after game. It didn’t matter whether she was serving or her opponent. She consistently performed well.
The challenges Świątek faced in the first set seemed to have loosened her up. It’s understandable considering this was her first match since withdrawing from the WTA tournament in Rome due to injury.
In the next round, the world’s top player will face Claire Liu. The American secured her spot in the second round by defeating Swiss qualifier Ylena In-Albon with a score of 6-1, 6-4 on Tuesday.
Iga Swiatek – Cristina Bucsa 2-0 (6-4, 6-0)