The last time Iga Swiatek played Anastasia Potapova, the result was as straightforward as it gets: a 40-minute 6-0, 6-0 whitewash in the 2024 Roland Garros fourth round.

In the rematch in the Cincinnati Open second round, Potapova was able to make more of an impact — but the end result was the same, a 6-1, 6-4 victory for No. 3 seed Swiatek in 1 hour and 13 minutes. 

Cincinnati: Scores | Draws | Order of play

Swiatek needed just 26 minutes to speed through a one-sided first set, but was pushed harder in the second as errors began to creep into her game. However, she was clutch when she needed to be, saving four out of the five break points she faced — including three as she served for the match. The Wimbledon champion will next face No. 25 seed Marta Kostyuk, who delivered a ruthless 51-minute 6-0, 6-1 rout of Tatjana Maria. Swiatek had yet to drop a set to Kostyuk in four previous meetings.

The Pole is a two-time semifinalist in Cincinnati (2023 and 2024), but it is one of just two WTA 1000 events that she has contested so far without yet reaching the final, along with the Canadian Open. (Swiatek is yet to play in Wuhan.)

Kostyuk’s 12 best points in her 51-minute Cincinnati rout of Maria

Best since Seles in opening rounds: Swiatek extended her winning streak in opening matches of WTA tournaments to 64 straight. The last player to achieve this was Monica Seles between Washington 1990 and Oakland 1996. She’s also tied Seles for 29 consecutive opening victories in Tier I/WTA 1000 events; since 1990, the only player with a longer such streak is Martina Hingis, who won 39 in a row between Rome 1996 and Montreal 2002.

More to come…