Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff dash into French Open quarterfinal

Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates after defeating Russia’s Anastasia Potapova throughout their fourth spherical match of the French Open tennis event on the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (AP Picture/Thibault Camus)

PARIS — After the French Open marathon got here the sprints.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek swept into the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in simply 40 minutes after a crushing 6-0, 6-0 win in opposition to Anastasia Potapova.

U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff took solely 60 minutes to rout unseeded Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 6-2.

READ: Iga Swiatek comes again to beat Naomi Osaka at French Open

The 20-year-old American regarded set for a good faster victory when she led 5-0, however Cocciaretto fought again, getting a hearty cheer from the gang after profitable the following sport.

Swiatek gained with out even going through a sport level in opposition to her. The match ended when Potapova hit a forehand into the web on the primary match level.

“I used to be simply actually targeted and within the zone,” Swiatek mentioned. “It went fairly rapidly, fairly bizarre.”

Their match began at round 11 a.m. on Courtroom Philippe Chatrier.

That’s simply eight hours after males’s defending champion Novak Djokovic completed his five-set, 4 1/2-hour marathon in opposition to Lorenzo Musetti at simply after 3 a.m. within the newest end in event historical past.

READ: French Open: Djokovic says ‘issues could possibly be dealt with otherwise’ after 3 am end

Swiatek mentioned late finishes don’t simply finish with the match and aren’t wholesome.

“It’s not like we’re going to go to sleep one hour after the match. Often it takes us, like, 4 hours to even chill, and you could do restoration, media. It’s not just like the work ends when the match level,” she mentioned. “I used to be all the time one of many gamers that mentioned that we should always begin a bit of bit earlier. Additionally, I don’t know if the followers (who) are watching these matches in the event that they need to go to work subsequent day.”

Gauff thinks the problem wants addressing.

Coco Gauff of the U.S. performs a shot in opposition to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto throughout their fourth spherical match of the French Open tennis event on the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (AP Picture/Thibault Camus)

“It’s a sophisticated factor,” she mentioned. “However I undoubtedly suppose for the well being and security of the gamers it might be within the sport’s greatest curiosity to attempt to keep away from these matches ending, or beginning, after a sure time.”

Whereas Gauff thinks gamers ought to actually be listened to extra, she says there’s additionally a high-quality stability to be struck.

“Clearly I don’t wish to complain an excessive amount of about it as a result of we’re very blessed and privileged to be enjoying for some huge cash. There’s individuals working actual jobs below worse situations for much less cash and simply making an attempt to get by,” she mentioned. “It’s simply powerful for me understanding the place a few of my household come from and the place issues are, and I take into consideration the individuals listening to this. Sure, if I used to be an individual working, I’d be upset to listen to, you understand, gamers complain.”

READ: Iga Swiatek exits Miami Open with Coco Gauff after upsets

Swiatek stays on target for her third consecutive French Open title and fourth general. The highest-ranked Pole will play Wimbleon champion Marketa Vondrousova after the fifth-seeded Czech beat unseeded Serb Olga Danilovic 6-4, 6-2.

Gauff, who faces both No. 8-seeded Ons Jabeur or unseeded Clara Tauson, regarded sharp on the internet and was blissful along with her sliding on clay.

“I’m fortunate to coach on clay since I used to be 10, which isn’t frequent for many Individuals,” mentioned Gauff, who adopted Swiatek onto Courtroom Philippe Chatrier.

Halfway by the second set of Gauff’s match got here the loudest cheer of the day. Not for an important passing shot or a crisp volley on the internet, however as a result of the solar lastly returned from trip after 5 consecutive days with rain delays

Later Sunday, Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner and two-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz had been in males’s fourth-round motion.

Second-seeded Sinner confronted Frenchman Corentin Moutet and third-seeded Alcaraz performed No. 21-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.