The crowd at Bad Homburg buzzes with excitement as Iga Swiatek and Ekaterina Alexandrova take center stage. Swiatek, playing her first grass tournament this season, earned a second-round bye and then beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals. Alexandrova, fresh from a Libema Open semifinal, started strong with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Belinda Bencic. But with so much at stake, we might have to wait a bit longer to see how the story unfolds.

The match began on a high note, with Iga taking the first set 6-4. Then Alexandrova fought back, claiming the second set and leaving fans hanging! Why? According to EdgeAI on X, “Play suspended due to light rain at the Bad Homburg tournament. Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Iga Swiatek 4-6, 4-3* (40-40). No play for another 10-20 minutes or so.” Uh oh!

It’s looking tough for Iga. She is pushing hard on grass this season, but it’s not her best surface compared to clay or hard courts. She holds a slim 3-2 lead over Ekaterina Alexandrova in their head-to-head. But The Russian won their last meeting in Miami without dropping serve once. Additionally, Swiatek’s grass record now stands at 16-8 after her recent win, while Ekaterina boasts a strong 34-16, including two grass titles and a 26-7 run since 2022. The Russian’s game suits grass well, while Iga feels less at home, making her the underdog here.

With the match paused, it’s a nail-biter to see who will take the final set and reach the semifinals. Will Iga Swiatek topple the Russian for the fourth time? Only time will tell!

Update: The match resumed at 4-3, with the Russian giving it her all and even pushing the set into a tiebreaker. However, Iga emerged victorious, winning 6-4, 7-6(5) to advance to the semifinals.

This must be quite a relief for the Pole, who has faced challenges since her devastating loss in the French Open semifinals earlier this month. While aiming for a fourth consecutive title in Paris, Iga was outplayed by Aryna Sabalenka, who proved more dominant. Even Iga’s trainer acknowledged that she was having a tough time during that match.

Iga Swiatek’s team gives an honest take on her form

In a recent interview with TVP Sports, Swiatek’s physical preparation coach, Maciej Ryszczuk, shared some candid insights about her recent form. He said, “For me, the only thing that was a challenge was the fluctuations in form during the match. Iga could play fantastically, but then the quality and intensity would drop. I was only worried about these aspects.” Since her tough semi-final exit at Roland Garros against Sabalenka, things have been improving, but Ryszczuk is still taking it one day at a time.

He also revealed that the hardest part of the past year wasn’t the on-court struggles but the suspension over the melatonin controversy. Swiatek proved it was an honest mistake and served just a one-month ban, but she admitted she “was scared that most people were going to turn their back on [her].” With that drama behind her and a recent coaching change, it’s no surprise the slump hit hard, though whether all that contributed remains to be seen.

Right now, Iga is embracing the fresh challenge of grass courts with enthusiasm. After her win against Victoria Azarenka, she said, “Honestly, I love practicing. I really have fun on the practice court. Especially on grass. On one hand, my tennis can be tricky. On the other hand, I have an opportunity to learn some new things. Wim, my coach, is implementing that all the time. He convinced me to try some new stuff. When you have a clear goal in practice of what to do, it’s really nice.” It’s refreshing to see her so engaged and open to experimenting on the court.

Heading into the semifinals at the Bad Homburg Open, Swiatek will face Jasmine Paolini. After everything she’s been through, can she clear this next hurdle and reach the final? What’s your take?