Iga Swiatek unbothered about hype around Alexandra Eala after toppling her in Madrid
Iga Swiatek evened her head-to-head record against Alexandra Eala at 1-1 by defeating her in three sets in the opening round of the Madrid Open.
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Alexandra Eala, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)
When Alexandra Eala took a set off Iga Swiatek in the second round of the Madrid Open, the watchers of the game perhaps anticipated a repeat of their Miami Open quarterfinal clash. But the match held on Thursday (April 24) was on clay, Swiatek’s favorite surface.
After losing the first set, momentum kept shifting in the second, but Swiatek was successful in winning to push the match into the decider. Swiatek capitalized on her momentum, restricting the 19-year-old to just two games, winning the match with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
There was some hype surrounding Swiatek’s clash with the Filipina, for in Madrid, Eala scripted the biggest win of her career by sinking the World No.2 with scores of 6-2, 7-5. Swiatek, instead of paying heed to the outside noise, rather stayed focused on her game.
I understand that there is hype about the young players, but you gotta be focused on yourself, and honestly, I did not realize…I kind of had other things to think about.
Iga Swiatek said at the press conference
Swiatek now tied the head-to-head record over Eala to 1-1. Prior to setting up the clash with the five-time Grand Slam champion, Eala knocked out Viktoriya Tomova. In Miami, after her victory over Swiatek, Eala lost a tough battle against World No.3 Jessica Pegula.
Iga Swiatek says conditions at the Madrid Open have changed
Iga Swiatek loves being back in Madrid. Last year, in what was also the 2024 WTA Match of the Year, Swiatek saved three championship points to deny World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka her second consecutive Madrid Open title and her third overall.
It was Swiatek’s first title in the Spanish capital, though she came close to the trophy in 2023 as well, losing the final to the Belarusian in three sets. Following her win over Alexandra Eala, Swiatek revealed what she found different in Madrid this time.
The conditions are different than last year. I think it’s like 10 degrees hotter. So I feel like the game is gonna be a bit different. But I’m just happy to be here and happy to enjoy Madrid.
Iga Swiatek said during her on-court interview
Swiatek could once again lock horns with Sabalenka, but only if they both reach the final again. Sabalenka, who so far is the most successful player this year, having reached five finals, and winning two trophies, will lock horns with Anna Blinkova to kick-start her campaign.
Iga Swiatek to play against Linda Noskova in the Madrid Open third round
Swiatek’s third-round opponent is Linda Noskova, who knocked out Maria Lourdes Carle to schedule the clash with the defending champion. Swiatek has met the Czech ace five times, winning four of those matches.
In their last encounter, Swiatek came from a set down to knock out the World No.31 in the round of 16 in Doha. Both the players are searching for their first title of the season.
Noskova, the winner of one WTA singles title, produced her best performance this season when she reached the semifinals of the Abu Dhabi Open. Swiatek, on the other hand, is searching for her first title since winning her fourth French Open last year. She has also not reached a final since that match.
This season, she has advanced to three semifinals: in Melbourne, Doha, and Indian Wells. She entered the Madrid Open after losing the Stuttgart Open quarterfinal to Jelena Ostapenko, who improved her head-to-head record over the 22-time WTA singles title winner to 6-0.
Last year, Swiatek won three of her five titles on clay (the Madrid Open, Italian Open, and the French Open). She also took home the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, held at Roland Garros.
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