Relentless Iga Swiatek blasted her way into the French Open third round after destroying Alison Riske 6-0, 6-2 at Roland Garros on Thursday.
The world No 1 made it 30 wins in a row with a devastating display against her American opponent, with Swiatek now looking overwhelming favourite to secure her second Paris Grand Slam title.
It is now the longest winning streak in women’s tennis since Serena Williams won 34 in a row in 2013 and the Pole is undefeated in more than three months of tennis.
Swiatek hit 23 winners to 15 unforced errors in 61 minutes, and she lost just 10 points in seven service games and now takes on Montenegro's Danka Kovinic.
The 20-year-old's march to a sixth tournament victory on the spin looks even more on the cards after Karolina Pliskova and Danielle Collins became the sixth and seventh top-10 women's seeds to head home from Paris.
Eighth-seed Pliskova lost 6-2, 6-2 to the 26-year-old wild card Leolia Jeanjean, who cut her teeth as a leading college player in the US but who gave up tennis for almost five years after suffering a serious knee injury.
American Collins, seeded nine, was knocked out in a 6-4, 6-3 by countrywoman Shelby Rogers. The pair joined fellow top 10 seeds in defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, Maria Sakkari, Anett Kontaveit, Ons Jabeur and former winner Garbine Muguruza in failing to get through to Round 3.
Jeanjean is the lowest-ranked woman to beat a top-10 player at Roland Garros since Conchita Martinez beat Lori McNeil in 1988.
“I don’t have an explanation,” said the Frenchwoman. “I don’t even realise what’s happening. I know I’m 26. It’s my first Grand Slam. I thought I would have lost in the first round in two sets, and now I found myself beating a top-10 player.
“I don’t really know how it’s possible, what’s happening. I just try to give my best to play my tennis, and it’s working so far.”
Jeanjean will play Irina-Camelia Begu, who knocked out 30th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, in the third round.
World No 4 Paula Badosa avoided becoming another big-name casualty when she overcame 68th-ranked Kaja Juvan of Slovenia 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.
Spaniard Badosa recovered from a break down in the decider to set up a meeting with 29th seed Veronika Kudermetova for a spot in the last 16.
“It was a very touchy match and I expected a match like this,” Badosa said. “I was nervous and stressed. She was running, getting all the balls. In that moment I tried to stay as calm as possible and play aggressively.”
Swiatek, Bardosa and seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka – who defeated American Madison Brengle 6-1, 6-3 – are now the only top-10 seeds left in the tournament.
Also through is American 11th seed Jessica Pegula who needed eight match points to defeat Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
Elena Rybakina, the Kazakhstani 16th seed, defeated Katie Volynets 6-4, 6-0, and is next up against another American in Madison Keys, who beat home hope Caroline Garcia 6-4, 7-6. Russia's Daria Kasatkina is also through after her 6-0, 6-3 win over Mexico's Fernanda Contreras Gomez.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep is out after losing 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to Chinese teenager Qinwen Zheng.
In the men's draw, second seed Daniil Medvedev eased into the third round with a straight-sets win over Laslo Djere of Serbia. The US Open champion won 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in just over two-and-a-half hours.
The Russian, who started his French Open career with four straight-first-round exits before reaching the quarter-finals last year, has won all six sets he has played so far this week and dropped only 16 games.
“Today he [Djere] played maybe better clay-court tennis but I managed to play better on the important points,” said Medvedev, who now faces 28th seed Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia.
Danish teenager Holger Rune – who knocked out 14th seed Denis Shapovalov in the opening round – continued his impressive form of late with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Switzerland's Henri Laaksonen. France's Hugo Gaston will provide his third-round opponent.
Eighth seed Casper Ruud was also a winner in straight sets as the Norwegian swept past Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and will now tackle Lorenzo Sonego of Italy.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
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The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
