Swiatek schools Alexandrova in 64 minutes to reach US Open quarters

Swiatek dispatches Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1 in the US Open round of 16

On the first day of September and Labor Day, Iga Swiatek didn’t labor long in reaching the final eight of the season’s last slam. The six-time Grand Slam champion needed a little over an hour to eliminate the 13th seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion and former world number one, may be #2, but she’s the reigning Wimbledon and Cincinnati Masters champion. The twenty-four-year-old from Poland led the head-to-head 4-2, but Alexandrova from Russia won their most recent meeting on hardcourts in 2024 at the Miami Open.
Alexandrova, six years older, achieved a career-high rank of #12 this season following deep runs at Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and making the final in Monterrey (l. Shnaider) and winning the title in Linz (d. Yastremska).

Alexandrova won the toss and chose to serve. She donated three unforced errors, faced triple break point, and dumped serve, while Swiatek gifted two double faults and gave back the break.
Alexandrova opened the third with an ace and a double fault but held to 15 with a spectacular inside-out forehand. Swiatek donated another double fault but held to 30 to level at two. Alexandrova made 4/5 first serves, including an ace up the tee on game point, while Swiatek struck her first ace and held easily for 3-3.

Alexandrova missed 3/5 first serves, faced double break point, and dropped serve when she netted a makeable forehand in the forecourt. The #2 seed serving with new balls held to love with two additional aces while Alexandrova serving to stay in the set, opened with an incredible forehand down the line but conceded it 3-6 following two untimely double faults.

Swiatek served first in the second and held to 30 while Alexandrova faced a break point but held with a forehand swing volley winner and an ace up the tee. Swiatek struck three winners, including two more aces, and held easily to 15 for 2-1 while Alexandrova committed three consecutive unforced errors to drop serve.

The former world #1 hit her sixth ace and another blistering backhand down the line for 4-1 while Alexandrova was handcuffed by her opponent, missed three consecutive first serves, and double-faulted to dump serve.

Swiatek served for the match, but it was anything but routine. She opened with her seventh ace but followed with a double fault. She led 30-15 but soon faced three deuce and three break points before unloading with another remarkable backhand down the line to reach the quarterfinals for the third time in four years.

Swiatek put on a clinic, rendering her opponent dazed and confused. She finished with seven aces, four double faults, and won 72% of first and 55% of second serve points. She saved 3/4 break points while converting 5/8 and struck twenty-one winners to thirteen unforced errors.  

It was a statement performance from a spirited champion determined to raise the trophy this fortnight. Her quarterfinal opponent has yet to be determined. A rematch of the Wimbledon final is possible should world #9 Amanda Anisimova defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia, the southpaw and 18th seed.