BERLIN: World number two Iga Swiatek won 6-2, 6-2 against Croatian qualifier Jana Fett in the last 16 of the WTA event in Stuttgart on Wednesday.

Swiatek broke her 153rd-ranked opponent twice in the first set and three times in the second. The victory marked a return to winning ways for five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek as she bounced back from a surprise defeat to Alexandra Eala in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open in March.

“You need a lot of inner energy and a lot of motivation to get out every week and play as good as you can,” Swiatek said. “It’s not only about technique and tennis. It’s about mentality and the feelings you have inside.” The Pole has twice won in Stuttgart, in 2022 and 2023. A third Stuttgart crown would be Swiatek’s first tournament victory in 2025.

Rising star Mirra Andreeva booked her spot in the round of 16 earlier on Wednesday as she progressed when her elder sister Erika retired while trailing 6-2, 1-0. The 17-year-old Russian will take on Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in the quarters. World number one Aryna Sabalenka is already assured of a spot in the last eight despite not yet taking to the court in Stuttgart.

Sabalenka received a first-round bye before her scheduled last-16 opponent Anastasia Potapova announced her retirement from the tournament due to injury on social media. The Belarusian has never won the title in Stuttgart, but finished runner-up three times between 2021 and 2023 - twice losing the final to Swiatek. American world number three Jessica Pegula and countrywoman Coco Gauff, ranked fourth in the world, will be in action in the last 16 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, German world number three Alexander Zverev is through to the quarter-finals of the ATP event in Munich after cruising to a straight-sets win over Daniel Altmaier on Wednesday. Zverev, the top seed at a tournament he won in 2017 and 2018, won 6-3, 6-2 to reach his 99th quarter-final on the ATP tour. “He makes it complicated. He has beaten lots of top players before. He’s beaten (Jannik) Sinner, he’s beaten me before, so he knows how to make it complicated,” said Zverev.

“I’m extremely happy with the win and looking forward to the next match.” Zverev has not made it past the quarters on the Munich clay since last winning the tournament seven years ago. He has also struggled for form since losing the Australian Open final in January. In six tournaments since losing to Sinner at Melbourne Park, Zverev has been unable to get past the quarter-finals.

A defeat to Matteo Berrettini in his first match at the Monte Carlo Masters last week cost Zverev a shot at the world number one ranking held by Sinner. Zverev then dropped down from second after Carlos Alcaraz won the title in the principality. The 27-year-old Zverev will face either fellow German Yannick Hanfmann or Tallon Griekspoor, of the Netherlands, for a place in the semi-finals in Munich.

Zverev joined world number 15 Ben Shelton in the last eight. Shelton beat Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 earlier on Wednesday. Shelton, seeded second, was broken in the opening set by Van de Zandschulp, in the tournament as a lucky loser. The American fought back with a break of his own before a dominant showing in the tie-break.

The 22-year-old continued his dominance in the second set, winning the match against his 89th-ranked opponent in one hour and 28 minutes. “I couldn’t be happier,” Shelton told the crowd. “I love playing in Germany and especially in Munich... there’s still a lot to do.” Shelton will face Italian Luciano Darderi in the quarter-finals. — AFP