Birthday girl Iga Swiatek swats aside Bouzkova to reach French Open last 16

NEW DELHI: World number one Iga Swiatek celebrated her 23rd birthday with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Marie Bouzkova, advancing to the last 16 of the French Open on Friday. Swiatek, the defending champion, showed her class and composure throughout the match, recovering from a challenging previous round where she saved a match point against Naomi Osaka.In the match against Bouzkova, Swiatek dismantled the Czech player's serve with precise and aggressive hitting. She broke early in the first set to lead 3-1 and, despite a brief comeback from Bouzkova that saw the score narrow from 5-2 to 5-4, Swiatek maintained control. She fired 18 winners in the first set, showcasing her ability to construct points and use the court's angles effectively.The second set saw Swiatek continue her dominance, breaking Bouzkova twice to take a 4-0 lead. Although Bouzkova managed to save a match point and get on the board, Swiatek's relentless pressure culminated in a powerful winner down the line to close out the match.Swiatek's performance highlighted her readiness to defend her title as she smoothly transitioned from defence to offence, displaying the skill and tenacity that have made her the top seed.(With Reuters inputs)