(Reuters) – World number one Iga Swiatek extended her winning run to 26 matches with a 7-6(2) 6-0 victory over Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday.
Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 straight victories in 2015, will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in Rome.
The 2020 French Open champion is seeking her fifth title this season, having won on hard courts in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and on clay in Stuttgart.
Swiatek faced a stern challenge in the opening set from 2019 U.S. Open champion Andreescu, who returned to action last month following a six-month mental health hiatus.
Trailing 5-3 and with Swiatek serving for the set, Andreescu broke to stay alive in the contest and forced it to a tiebreak, where the Canadian could not keep up with the top-ranked Pole.
Swiatek earned a quick double break to lead 3-0 in the second set before holding her serve and breaking Andreescu once again. The 20-year-old eventually handed Andreescu a second-set bagel, wrapping up the match in one hour and 44 minutes.
Earlier, Belarusian Sabalenka recovered from a set down to notch her first win over Amanda Anisimova in her fifth attempt, beating the American 4-6 6-3 6-2.
Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who won in Madrid last week, will play Greek fourth seed Maria Sakkari later on Friday and Jil Teichmann will face Daria Kasatkina.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
