Swiatek survives Collins barrage to reach semis at Olympics

World No 1 Iga Swiatek came through a bruising encounter – in more ways than one – as she reached the semi-finals of the Olympics at Roland-Garros on Wednesday.

Swiatek was leading Danielle Collins 6-1, 2-6, 4-1 when the American, who had floored Swiatek with a backhand early in the third set, decided she could not play on, having left the court at 3-0 down for a medical timeout on an issue she later said was an abdominal problem.

The top-seeded Pole will now play Qinwen Zheng of China, who edged out Angelique Kerber in a final-set tiebreak, the last match of the German’s outstanding career.

Swiatek’s fast start halted by collins power

With the roof closed on Court Suzanne Lenglen due to rain on another sultry, humid – and then rainy – day in Paris, Swiatek raced through the first set, never allowing Collins to find her rhythm.

The four-time French Open champion, chasing Olympic glory to add to her five slam titles, served brilliantly and kept the American off balance, the Pole taking the opening set in a flash.

Collins was not just going to go away, though, and the 30-year-old, who is due to retire from the sport at the end of the year, began slapping winners all over the place.

Suddenly it was Swiatek who was on the defensive, pushed back behind her natural position on the baseline and forced into errors, when she even had a play on the ball. The second set was all Collins and the pair headed to a third.

Swiatek hit, but recovers to TAKE CONTROL

Swiatek took a long bathroom break before the start of the third set, which didn’t amuse Collins, and when she returned, the pair became embroiled in a tense opening game on the American’s serve.

At deuce in the first game, Collins then rifled a backhand straight at the onrushing Swiatek, who took a hit full on the chest. Swiatek fell to her haunches and after a check from Collins, she was fine to continue.

If anything, the hit seemed to galvanise Swiatek and the Pole broke in that game, before repeating the trick two games later to lead 3-0.

At that point, Collins went off court for some treatment and took a lengthy break of her own. It didn’t unsettle Swiatek, though, and the top seed was in command at 4-1 when Collins decided she could not continue.

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