Iga Swiatek began her Wimbledon preparations with a three-set win over Tatjana Maria at the Bad Homburg Open on Monday. The world No. 1, who is bidding for a third consecutive Grand Slam title, was made to work hard by Maria, who is ranked 58th in the world, but eventually prevailed 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.
Iga Swiatek had a slow start to the match, losing the first set despite having a break point in the opening game. However, she found her rhythm in the second set and broke Maria’s serve twice to take the lead. The third set was a complete mismatch, as Swiatek won all six games to seal the victory in just under two hours.
The win was Swiatek’s 36th in a row, extending her unbeaten streak to more than four months. She will next face either Alison Riske or Katerina Siniakova in the second round. Swiatek said she was pleased with her performance, despite the slow start. “I’m happy with the way I managed to turn things around,” she said. “I was a bit nervous at the beginning, but I’m glad I was able to stay calm and focus on my game.”
Swiatek is the defending champion at Wimbledon, and she will be one of the favorites to win the title again this year. She has been in dominant form since winning the French Open in June, and she will be looking to continue her winning streak in London.
The Bad Homburg Open is a WTA 500 event, and it is the final warm-up tournament for Wimbledon. The tournament is being held on grass courts, and it is a good opportunity for players to get some practice on the surface before the Grand Slam.
