Swiatek cements top ranking

Polish tennis star beats Muchova 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 at rain-hit Montreal Open

MONTREAL:

Iga Swiatek, unfazed by two lengthy rain delays, held off Karolina Muchova 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA Montreal Open on Thursday.

Swiatek's victory, in a rematch of the French Open final she won two months ago, ensures the Polish star will remain number one in the world for a 72nd straight week when the rankings come out on Monday.

It took two hours and 47 minutes on court, but more than nine hours from start to finish on what Swiatek called an "extraordinary" day.

Swiatek roared through the opening set despite solid play from her Czech opponent, who was unable to convert break chances in the third and fifth games.

Swiatek grabbed her second break of the set in a sixth game that went to deuce five times.

But as she did at Roland Garros, Muchova battled back to take the second set only for rain to bring the match to a halt for more than three hours.

Swiatek had broken to open the third set when rain stopped play again. It would be another couple of hours before they resumed and she backed up the break with a hold for a 2-0 lead.

That would be all Swiatek needed, and she polished off the victory with a love game.

"You have to find energy even though we've been here since 9 am," Swiatek said. "For sure, it was a pretty extraordinary day, and I don't think I've had such a situation in my career so there is the opportunity to learn something new and see what I'm capable (of) – even though we played this match, like, three times."

Swiatek next faces either Canadian wild card Leylah Fernandez or US qualifier Danielle Collins.

Fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula booked her quarter-final berth with a crisp 6-4, 6-0 victory over Jasmine Paolini before the rain rolled in.

Pegula next faces her doubles partner Coco Gauff, who blew past newly minted Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-0 in just 62 minutes.