Unseeded teenager Iga Swiatek thrashed French Open favourite Simona Halep to reach her first grand slam quarter-final at Roland Garros on Sunday. (More Tennis News)
Iga Swiatek lost just three games in an astonishing demolition of top seed Simona Halep to break new ground at Roland Garros
Unseeded teenager Iga Swiatek thrashed French Open favourite Simona Halep to reach her first grand slam quarter-final at Roland Garros on Sunday. (More Tennis News)
Halep beat Swiatek 6-1 6-0 at the same stage of the Paris major last year, but the world number 54 from Poland gained sweet revenge with a magnificent 6-1 6-2 victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Two-time grand slam champion Halep had won a career-best 17 consecutive matches, but she was bulled by the inspired 19-year-old, who hit 30 winners and did not face a break point in a stunning performance.
Swiatek's reward for a relentless display will be a last-eight showdown with Italian Martina Trevisan in Paris, where the seeds continue to crash out in a women's draw that is wide open. Trevisan, ranked 159th, stunned fifth seed Kiki Bertens.
The aggressive Swiatek made a blistering start against Halep, winning the first three games as she pummelled her thunderous groundstrokes - the forehand in particular firing on all cylinders.
Halep had no answer to the relentless Warsaw native, who went 5-1 up with an exquisite drop shot and wrapped up the opening set in just 24 minutes.
Swiatek showed no let-up at the start of the second set, breaking in the first game and unleashing more rasping forehands in a lengthy fifth game before Halep netted at full stretch to go 4-1 down after saving five break points.
Halep was shellshocked and Swiatek completed an astonishing demolition of the 2018 champion, serving out a one-sided match with nerves of steel.
Data slam: Sensational Swiatek to the fore
The powerful Swiatek has been billed as one to watch on the circuit for a good while and the youngster demonstrated why, on the big stage against an opponent who had been in such great form.
A composed Swiatek swarmed all over Halep, who was strongly fancied to claim a third major title next weekend, and hardly put a foot wrong, striking 17 winners in the opening set and another 13 in the second half of a near-flawless performance.
The sheer force that Swiatek was able to generate off her forehand drew gasps from a small crowd and she also won eight out of nine points at the net, while losing only 10 points on serve.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Swiatek - 30/20
Halep - 12/15
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Swiatek - 1/0
Halep - 2/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Swiatek - 4/14
Halep - 0/0