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Swiatek marks birthday with comfortable win at French Open / Photo: ALAIN JOCARD - AFP
Swiatek marks birthday with comfortable win at French Open
Reigning champion Iga Swiatek celebrated her 23rd birthday by brushing aside Marie Bouzkova to reach the French Open last 16 on Friday.
Swiatek had to save a match point to avoid an upset defeat by fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a second-round thriller, but she was never in trouble during a 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech Bouzkova.
The world number one is a red-hot favourite to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third straight year and become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros titles in the Open era.
She was much closer to her best form on Friday, hitting 34 winners and making only 19 unforced errors.
Swiatek will play Russia's Anastasia Potapova in the next round on Sunday.
The Polish star's win-loss record at the tournament stands at 32-2 and she has never failed to reach the second week.
B.Nagel--BlnAP
