Top-ranked Swiatek retires from Italian Open quarterfinal due to injured right thigh

Two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek retired in third set of her Italian Open quarterfinal against Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina due to a right thigh injury.

It was 2-2 in third when top-ranked Swiatek retired after more than two hours of play. She h won first set 6-2 n Rybakina won second set 7-6 (3).

match started on Wednesday evening and ended early Thursday morning in extremely humid conditions.

retirement ended Swiatek’s 14-match winning streak in Rome and raises questions over her status for upcoming French Open, which starts in 10 days and where Polish player is defending champion.

During second-set tiebreaker, Swiatek grasped her right knee after shifting directions a few times behind baseline. Close to tears, she took a medical timeout after set and left court. When she returned, her upper right thigh was bandd. n after four more games, she retired.

It’s third time that big-serving Rybakina has beaten Swiatek this year, accounting for three of Pole’s six losses in 2023.

Rybakina’s semifinal opponent will be Jelena Ostapenko, who beat Paula Bosa 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to reach her first semifinal on clay since winning 2017 French Open.

or semifinal will feature Veronika Kudermetova of Russia against Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine.