Swiatek credits balancing act for 21st straight win

[April 23, 2022] (Reuters) - World number one Iga Swiatek said she found the right balance between taking risks and playing aggressively in her 6-4 6-4 win over Britain's Emma Raducanu in Stuttgart on Friday as the Polish star celebrated her 21st victory in a row.

Swiatek reached the semi-finals of the WTA 500 claycourt tournament after overcoming a strong effort from U.S. Open champion Raducanu in the quarter-finals.

"I think (it was) just about balancing the risk I was taking with some sort of games," Swiatek after the match. "I still needed to adjust a few things and get used to the surface during the match.

"I played more solid and less risky sometimes, but on the other hand, also aggressively. So, when I balanced that act, it was pretty good."

Swiatek, 20, has not dropped a set in her last 13 matches and also leads the women's tour with 28 wins this season.
 

Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her semi final match against Danielle Collins of the U.S. REUTERS/Morgan Sette

Asked how she has managed to achieve those feats, Swiatek said, "Honestly, just step by step. (I'm) not thinking about what's happened and what's going to happen. I'm just focusing on the next match.

"I am doing everything well to prepare and recover after each round. It's huge work, honestly, (from) me and my team. It looks like I am going with the flow but behind it, it is hard work."

Swiatek, who won the French Open in 2020, will meet Liudmila Samsonova in the final four.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim Coghill)

[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.