World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has achieved a remarkable milestone, reaching the round of 16 at a WTA 1000 tournament for the 25th time in a row. This record was set with her victory over No. 27 seed Elise Mertens at the Miami Open. Swiatek won the match in straight sets, 7-6(2), 6-1.
Swiatek`s consistent performance at this level is unmatched. Her last loss before the round of 16 in a WTA 1000 event was at Cincinnati in 2021. The previous record for consecutive last-16 appearances was 18, held by Maria Sharapova.
Despite the straight-set scoreline, the match against Mertens was not without its challenges. Swiatek initially led 5-2 in the first set, but Mertens fought back to level the score at 5-5. Mertens, who recently won a title in Singapore, proved to be a tough opponent. However, Swiatek regained control, winning the tiebreak decisively and dominating the second set.
Swiatek mentioned that her serve was not at its best in the first set, winning only 43% of points on her second serve. This allowed Mertens to apply pressure. However, Swiatek adjusted her game in the second set, improving her first-serve percentage to 79% and limiting Mertens` opportunities.
In her on-court interview, Swiatek acknowledged the initial difficulties with her serve but expressed satisfaction with her ability to find her rhythm and perform better in the second set.
Looking ahead, Swiatek will compete for a spot in the Miami quarterfinals against No. 22 seed Elina Svitolina. Svitolina advanced to this stage by defeating No. 15 seed Karolina Muchova. Swiatek holds a 2-1 lead in her head-to-head record against Svitolina, including a win in their previous hard-court encounter in Dubai last year.
