(Reuters) -World number one Iga Swiatek stretched her winning streak to 25 matches by beating Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-1 in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome on Thursday.
Poland’s Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 victories in 2015, will face 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the claycourt event on Friday.
“I just hope I’m going to start better, maybe start more aggressively and just putting pressure on her, but also playing a little bit more solid and less unforced errors,” said Swiatek when asked about facing Andreescu.
“I already played against her in juniors on clay, and it was super tight, super tight match. I know it’s going to be hard.”
Swiatek was 0-3 down in the opening set as she found herself under pressure from Azarenka’s return game, but the 20-year-old bounced back by taking the next five games.
With Swiatek serving for the set at 5-3, former world number one Azarenka saved four set points and broke to get back on serve. Swiatek eventually broke Azarenka on her fifth set point to finally seal the set.
The 2020 French Open champion dominated the second set, breaking Azarenka four more times to wrap up the match in just under two hours.
Swiatek is seeking her fifth title this season, having won in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Stuttgart.
Andreescu reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in 14 months by defeating qualifier Petra Martic 6-4 6-4.
The 21-year-old Canadian, who returned to action in Stuttgart last month following a six-month mental health hiatus, is making her debut in Rome.
Third seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-4 to reach the Rome last eight for the first time, while Jil Teichmann beat Elena Rybakina 6-7(3) 6-3 7-5 in a match that lasted more than three hours.
In an all-American battle, Amanda Anisimova emerged a 6-2 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, while fourth seed Maria Sakkari defeated Coco Gauff 6-4 7-5.
Daria Kasatkina knocked second seed Paula Badosa out with a 6-4 6-4 victory.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Silvia Recchimuzzi in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond and Chris Reese)
