Swiatek’s level surges before Roland-Garros as Pegula falls in straight sets
Iga Świątek (No 4) dismantled Jessica Pegula (No 7) 6-1, 6-2 in Rome without facing a single break point, reaching her first semi-final of 2026 and her fourth at the Foro Italico. The three-time Rome champion has dropped seven games in her last three matches — and Roland-Garros is two weeks away.
Iga Swiatek, Rome 2026 | © Inside / PsNewz
Three-time Rome champion Iga Świątek demolished American No. 7 seed Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 in the Rome WTA 1000 quarter-finals to reach her first semi-final of 2026, the No. 4 seed losing only seven games across her last three matches and producing the kind of clay performance that has come to define her at the Foro Italico.
Swiatek’s run through Rome is being relentless since her second round. In three matches she has dropped a combined total of four games – 6-0 6-1 against Cocciaretto, 6-2 6-1 against Osaka, and now 6-1 6-2 against the world number 5.
Against Pegula, the Polish star never faced a single break point, held all eight of her service games, and broke Pegula four times from seven chances. The total points told the bluntest story of the day: 64% to 36% in Świątek’s favour. The damage was done on Pegula’s second serve, where the American won just two of 16 points (13%). When the first delivery missed – and it missed 36% of the time – the point was effectively over before it began.
No title yet in 2026
The first set ran away from Pegula early. Świątek broke twice on the way to 5-0 before the American held to avoid the bagel at 1-5. Świątek served it out in the next game. The second followed the same script: a break in the opening game, another in the third for 3-0, a love hold to 4-0. Pegula found two holds with the match already gone, climbed to 2-5, saved a match point and watched Świątek convert on the second.
It is Świątek’s fourth Rome semi-final, her 54th career top-10 win, and her first such win of 2026. She has not won a title this year, but a 6-1, 6-2 dismissal of a top-10 American with Roland-Garros two weeks away will register on the right desks. She will face the winner of No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina and No. 8 seed Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals.
