WTA Roundup: Top Seed Iga Swiatek Survives in Tokyo

Iga Swiatek (Poland) reacts after a point against Coco Gauff (USA) during the Western and Southern Open tennis tournament at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, on Aug. 19, 2023. (Katie Stratman/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media)

Top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland held off Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama 6–4, 7–5 on Wednesday and advanced to the quarterfinals at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

Swiatek rallied from 4–1 down in the first set and squandered a 5–1 lead in the second set before prevailing in just over two hours. Up next is No. 8 seed Veronika Kudermetova of Russia, who defeated Kayla Day 6–3, 6–3 in second-round action at the WTA 500 event.

No. 2 seed Jessica Pegula saved both break points and won 86 percent of the points on her first serve (18 of 21) in an efficient 6–1, 6–2 win over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa. Defending champion and No. 7 seed Liudmila Samsonova fell in straight sets to fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6–4, 6–2.

Ningbo Open

No. 1 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia eased into the quarterfinals in Ningbo, China, with a 6–3, 6–2 win over Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch.

Jabeur never lost her serve in the 84-minute match and advanced to face Russia’s Vera Zvonareva, who was leading Clara Tauson 6–4, 1–0 when the Dane was forced to retire.

Two Czech players pulled off second-round upsets. Katerina Siniakova knocked out No. 3 seed Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6–3, 7–5, and Linda Fruhvirtova outlasted No. 4 Anna Blinkova of Russia 6–3, 3–6, 6–1. Other winners were No. 8 Lucia Bronzetti of Italy and Nadia Podoroska of Argentina.