Iga Swiatek Helped By Huge Umpiring Mistake During Australian Open Quarterfinal Win
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Iga Swiatek's incredible level at the Australian Open got even better during a comprehensive victory against Emma Navarro, but a significant error from the umpire also assisted her during the second set.
After a competitive opening match against Katerina Siniakova that ended 6-3, 6-4, Swiatek lost just four games in her next three contests. It was one of the most dominant routes to a Grand Slam quarterfinal in tennis history.
The Pole also received the relieving news that the World Anti-Doping Agency decided not to appeal her doping case. Swiatek can move on from the incident and focus on adding to her tally of five Grand Slam titles.
Unlike Swiatek, Navarro had the toughest route to this year's Australian Open quarterfinal. The American won all her matches in lengthy three-set battles by showing excellent composure and fitness.
While Navarro's mentality is among the best on the WTA Tour, as demonstrated by her three-set victories in Melbourne, she needed more than that to have any chance of overcoming Swiatek in the form she has been in throughout the tournament.
The four-time French Open champion made her mark immediately by breaking to love in a flawless opening game. She cleanly struck every return and rushed Navarro with the speed and depth of her groundstrokes.
Navarro made a few loose errors in Swiatek's opening service game to swiftly fall 0-2 behind, but last year's US Open semifinalist played at a high level throughout the rest of the set, and there were many intense rallies played.
However, Swiatek still easily took the opening set 6-1. It is challenging to overstate how high the Pole's level was against an opponent who would almost certainly have been competitive against any opponent outside of Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka at their best.
The world No. 2 dazzled off both wings, but her backhand was particularly exceptional. Navarro's backhand is among the best on the WTA Tour, but she was dominated in the cross-court exchanges. Swiatek also unleashed winners down the line off that side.
Navarro deserves credit for not letting her head drop in the second set against such an inspired opponent and after playing four long matches to reach the quarterfinal. Characteristically, she kept her cool and fought hard.
The American created her first break-point chance in the fifth game of the second but could not convert it after being drawn into a forehand forced error by Swiatek. The umpire then helped the former WTA world No. 1 to hold for 3-2.
At game point to Swiatek, Navarro hit an excellent drop shot that replays clearly showed bounced a second time before the Pole got to it. A picture and video of the double bounce can be viewed below. However, the umpire did not call it, and Swiatek won the point.
A video review can check whether a double bounce occurred, but a player must stop the point immediately. Since Navarro did not do that in the heat of the moment, she could not ask for one after the umpire missed it.
It was a confusing moment. Although Swiatek probably would have still won the match anyway, it stopped Navarro's one potential chance of changing the contest's momentum since the game would have gone back to deuce had the point been called correctly.
This will raise questions about why players cannot request a review after the point. It seems harsh to only allow it mid-rally and not give them any opportunity to check the incident afterward.
Swiatek responded ruthlessly by breaking Navarro and swiftly running away with the match. The No. 2 seed triumphed 6-1, 6-2, and set up a semifinal with Madison Keys after her win against Elina Svitolina.
While the umpiring mistake will rightly be spoken about, it should not detract from Swiatek's excellent level. Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka might be the only player in the draw who would have a chance of stopping her if she keeps playing at the same level.
