In a riveting match at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Poland’s top-seeded Iga Swiatek showcased her resilience and determination as she secured a hard-fought victory over Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama. The world No. 7 demonstrated her mettle, mounting a comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the first set and overcoming some late-set turbulence in the second to clinch the match, which spanned just over two hours.
The first set saw both players trading blows, with Hontama initially gaining the upper hand with a 4-1 lead. However, Swiatek, known for her fierce competitiveness, displayed her fighting spirit, breaking Hontama’s serve twice to claim the set 6-4.
The second set brought more drama as Swiatek surged to a commanding 5-1 lead. Yet, Hontama, displaying her own tenacity, fought back valiantly, leveling the set at 5-5. In a crucial turn of events, Swiatek regrouped, holding her serve and breaking Hontama one last time to secure a 7-5 victory in the second set.
Swiatek’s impressive performance earned her a spot in the quarterfinals, where she will face Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova, the eighth seed, who also delivered a strong performance in her second-round match against Kayla Day, winning 6-3, 6-3.
Second-seeded Jessica Pegula, too, displayed her prowess on the court, delivering a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa. However, the defending champion and seventh seed, Liudmila Samsonova, faced a disappointing defeat as she succumbed to fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets, with a final score of 6-4, 6-2.
With this victory, Iga Swiatek continues to make her mark on the Toray Pan Pacific Open, and her fans eagerly await her next match against Kudermetova in what promises to be another thrilling encounter.
