Rome, May 13 (IANS) Iga Swiatek rediscovered her trademark dominance on clay as she swept aside Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 to book a place in the semifinals of the Italian Open, marking her deepest run of the 2026 season so far.

Under pressure after a string of quarterfinal exits earlier this year, the former World No. 1 delivered one of her sharpest performances in recent months at the Foro Italico, overwhelming Pegula in just 66 minutes with relentless baseline control and immaculate serving.

The victory carried added significance for Swiatek, who had not reached a semifinal in 2026 despite strong starts at several major tournaments, including the Australian Open, Doha, Indian Wells, and Stuttgart. In Rome, however, the three-time champion appears to have rediscovered rhythm and confidence at the perfect stage of the clay-court swing.

Having dropped a set to Caty McNally earlier in the tournament, Swiatek steadily built momentum with increasingly assured displays against Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Naomi Osaka before dismantling Pegula in emphatic fashion.

The quarterfinal clash had arrived with intrigue, given the closeness of their rivalry, with Swiatek holding only a narrow edge in their head-to-head record before the encounter. Pegula’s consistency over the past year and her smooth progress through the Rome draw had also suggested a sterner examination for the Pole.

Instead, Swiatek dictated the contest from the opening exchanges. Pegula struggled to cope with the depth and weight of shots coming from the other side of the net, while Swiatek protected her own serve flawlessly, not allowing a single break point throughout the afternoon.

Working with coach Francesco Roig since the start of the clay season, Swiatek appears determined to peak ahead of the French Open, where she will chase a fifth title at Roland Garros.

For Pegula, the defeat ended another otherwise solid week on tour. The American had entered the quarterfinals after straight-set wins over Zeynep Sonmez, Rebeka Masarova, and Anastasia Potapova, but found herself outclassed against one of the sport’s finest clay-court players.

Swiatek will next face either Elena Rybakina or Elina Svitolina for a place in the final.

–IANS

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