Madrid Open 2024: Iga Swiatek vs Sorana Cirstea preview, head-to-head, prediction, live streaming details

Published at :April 27, 2024 at 3:03 PM

Modified at :April 27, 2024 at 3:03 PM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

Iga Swiatek is eyeing her maiden title at the Madrid Open.

While Iga Swiatek’s bid for a third consecutive Stuttgart Open title may have been thwarted, the Pole did complete 100 weeks as the World No. 1 in WTA Rankings. At 22 years and 326 days, she is the fourth youngest in the women’s tour to achieve the milestone.

Swiatek’s three-peat would have been placed on the same pedestal as Martina Navratilova (1986-1988) and Maria Sharapova (2012-2014) if she would have won the trophy thrice in a row.

World No.1 Iga Swiatek got her Madrid Open 2024 title quest started with a 6-1, 6-4 win against No.52 Wang Xiyu. She took 10 of the first 12 games, racing to a 6-1, 4-1 lead before Xiyu broke back to level the second set at 4-4. The Pole responded by breaking the Chinese player for a fifth time to wrap up the match in 76 minutes.

Swiatek faces 27th seed Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the third round on Saturday. Cirstea fended off Alexandra Eala in the second round taking two hours and 17 minutes to stitch a three-set win – 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4. Cirstea was leading Eala by a set and 5-3, but let the Filipino take the second set in a tiebreak.

The Romanian was trailing 1-3 in the third set, but pulled herself together and evened out the score at 4-4 before pocketing the last two games to take the third set 6-4.

Iga Swiatek vs Sorana Cirstea match details

Date: April 27, Saturday

Time: 2:30 PM (IST) – Tentative

Venue: Manzanares Park Tennis Center, Madrid

Iga Swiatek vs Sorana Cirstea preview

A win in Madrid for Swiatek means she will capture the only trophy on European clay which has eluded her. The 22-year-old is a three-time winner at Roland Garros and has won twice at Rome and Stuttgart. She came close last year but fell in three sets to Aryna Sabalenka.

Sorana Cirstea’s quarter-final appearance at the venue is her best on record. She flirted with an early exit in her second-round match against 18-year-old Alexandra Eala. This was Eala’s second appearance in the main draw of a WTA 1000 event after Miami. Punching above her weight, 5′ 9” Eala defeated World No. 41 Lesia Tsurenko in the first round.

Should seedings hold, the winner of Saturday’s third-round match will play Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round and Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals.

Head-to-head records

Matches – 3

Iga Swiatek – 3

Sorana Cirstea – 0

Swiatek has won all three matches against Cirstea — one each year from 2022 to 2024. Their most recent face-off was in Doha this year, where Swiatek won 6-1, 6-1.

Where and how to watch live streaming and TV broadcast of Iga Swiatek vs Sorana Cirstea, Madrid Open 2024, third round match in India?

The third-round game between Iga Swiatek and Sorana Cirstea is available on WTA TV and the Tennis Channel for viewers in India—these streaming services offer on demand and live content for their subscribers.

Prediction

Iga Swiatek is playing in her fifth WTA 1000 tournament of the season and has won two of them at Qatar and Indian Wells. She suffered setbacks in Dubai where she lost in the semi-finals to Anna Kalinskaya, and in Miami to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round.

With two titles under her belt this season and 16-2 in WTA 1000 events, the World No. 1 is in an advantageous position relative to her Romanian rival. Cirstea made the semi-finals at the Dubai Tennis Championships WTA 1000 but lost to eventual winner Jasmine Paolini.

Swiatek’s 2024 numbers on court paint a picture of consistency. She has won 82.6% of service games and 68.7% points on her first serve. Cirstea trails Swiatek here, having won 68.4% of service games and 65.6% of points on her first serve. Crucially, Swiatek has saved 70.3% of breakpoints compared to 58.3% by Cirstea.

Cirstea is the more consistent server, with 70 aces and only 30 double faults compared to Swiatek’s 49 aces and 46 double faults.

Swiatek has been upended this season by a player whom she has been dominant against when she lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round of the Miami Open.

Iga Swiatek does have the experience from winning 19 WTA tour level titles, and the mental fortitude to let the odd defeat get to her.

Result: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets.

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