Swiatek soars into Madrid Open last 16 after dropping just two games against Cirstea

Iga Swiatek stormed through to the Madrid Open last 16 following a dominant straight-sets victory over Sorana Cirstea.

The world number one dropped just two games as she inflicted a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 rout on her Romanian opponent in the Spanish capital.

Swiatek, who was runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in last year's event, will play Sara Sorribes Tormo in the round of 16 after the Spaniard defeated two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

The Pole is now 26-4 for the season, in which she has already triumphed at the Qatar Open and Indian Wells Open, as she eyes the ninth WTA 1000 singles title of her career.

6/7 - With six R16s from seven on the surface, Iga Swiatek (85.7%, 6/7) now holds the highest percentage of R16s made from WTA-1000 main draws on clay, since the format’s introduction in 2009 - minimum five main draws. Manifesting.#MMOPEN | @MutuaMadridOpen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/NEWzsnCJPf

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) April 27, 2024

Data debrief

Swiatek is through to her sixth round of 16 from seven main-draw appearances in WTA 1000 events on clay (85.7 per cent) - the highest percentage rate among players with at least five such appearances since the format's introduction in 2009.

The three-time French Open champion also boasts the best WTA match win rate of any player since 2000 on clay (87 per cent). Overall, only Chris Evert (94.5 per cent), Margaret Court (89.5 per cent) and Steffi Graf (89.2 per cent) boast a higher percentage in the Open Era.