Iga Swiatek Helped By Huge Umpiring Mistake During Australian Open Quarterfinal Win

Iga Swiatek Helped By Huge Umpiring Mistake During Australian Open Quarterfinal Win

Iga Swiatek’s incredible level at the Australian Open got even better during a comprehensive victory against Emma Navarro, but a significant error from the umpire also assisted her during the second set.

After a competitive opening match against Katerina Siniakova that ended 6-3, 6-4, Swiatek lost just four games in her next three contests. It was one of the most dominant routes to a Grand Slam quarterfinal in tennis history.

The Pole also received the relieving news that the World Anti-Doping Agency decided not to appeal her doping case. Swiatek can move on from the incident and focus on adding to her tally of five Grand Slam titles.

Unlike Swiatek, Navarro had the toughest route to this year’s Australian Open quarterfinal. The American won all her matches in lengthy three-set battles by showing excellent composure and fitness.

While Navarro’s mentality is among the best on the WTA Tour, as demonstrated by her three-set victories in Melbourne, she needed more than that to have any chance of overcoming Swiatek in the form she has been in throughout the tournament.

The four-time French Open champion made her mark immediately by breaking to love in a flawless opening game. She cleanly struck every return and rushed Navarro with the speed and depth of her groundstrokes.

Navarro made a few loose errors in Swiatek’s opening service game to swiftly fall 0-2 behind, but last year’s US Open semifinalist played at a high level throughout the rest of the set, and there were many intense rallies played.

However, Swiatek still easily took the opening set 6-1. It is challenging to overstate how high the Pole’s level was against an opponent who would almost certainly have been competitive against any opponent outside of Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka at their best.

The world No. 2 dazzled off both wings, but her backhand was particularly exceptional. Navarro’s backhand is among the best on the WTA Tour, but she was dominated in the cross-court exchanges. Swiatek also unleashed winners down the line off that side.