Iga Swiatek Dominates Jessica Pegula, Advances to Italian Open Semi-finals; Emma Raducanu Sets Strasbourg Return

Iga Swiatek gave another indication that she might be back to her brilliant best after destroying Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday and breezing into the Italian Open semi-finals. A three-time champion in Rome, Swiatek took little more than an hour to take care of fifth seed Pegula on centre court, in a show of force on her preferred surface not seen since she last won the French Open two years ago. Swiatek has set up a clash with either second seed Elena Rybakina or Elina Svitolina in the last four. A potential decider with reigning Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff awaits for the winner of that last-four match-up in Saturday’s final. Swiatek has not won a clay-court tournament since claiming the most recent of her four Roland Garros titles. “I feel much better,” Swiatek said. “I have a lot of confidence in my shots. I used that from the beginning of the match today and kept putting pressure on Jessie, so I’m really happy with how I played.” Meanwhile Emma Raducanu will make her comeback from illness at the Internationaux de Strasbourg next week. The British No 1 has not played a tournament since Indian Wells in March because of a post-viral illness after she first fell unwell in February, pulling out of four successive events. Raducanu travelled to Rome and practised ahead of the current Italian Open but ultimately decided she was not quite ready to return. Taking a wild card into Strasbourg means the 23-year-old will gain valuable time on the clay ahead of the French Open, which begins on May 24.