French Open 2020: Svitolina, Swiatek on guard against Roland Garros underdogs

Paris: Elina Svitolina must beware the trend of tumbling seeds at this year’s French Open when she takes on Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska on Tuesday for a place in the semi-finals. The Ukrainian third seed is the highest-ranked player left in the tournament and could be on a collision course with Iga Swiatek, the conqueror of 2018 champion and title favourite Simona Halep. The Polish teenager is bristling with confidence going into her clash with Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan. Elina Svitolina (UKR x3) v Nadia Podoroska (ARG) Head-to-head: First meeting Svitolina will hope it is third time lucky after two previous French Open quarter-final exits in 2015 and 2017. The Ukrainian led Halep 6-3, 5-1 in the last eight three years ago, and had a match point, before suffering a gut-wrenching collapse. [caption id=“attachment_8867031” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Svitolina will hope it is third time lucky after two previous French Open quarter-final exits in 2015 and 2017. AP/File[/caption] The world number five is coming off a 15th WTA title at Strasbourg but admitted she had “no idea” what to expect from the 23-year-old Podoroska, who is playing in just her second major. Podoroska was ranked at 255 at the start of the year and has won 42 matches across all tours in 2020 despite the truncated season. The Argentine, whose other Grand Slam appearance came at the 2016 US Open, is now up to 131 and will make her top-100 debut after the tournament. “I don’t have vertigo. My idea is to carry on as I have and see how far I can go,” said Podoroska. Iga Swiatek v Martina Trevisan Head-to-head: Level at 1-1 The 19-year-old Swiatek sent shockwaves through the competition with her brutal demolition of Halep, avenging a 45-minute loss to the Romanian at the same stage last year. “I am surprised I could do this,” admitted Swiatek after ending the 17-match winning streak of Halep, the overwhelming favourite in the absence of Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka and following the withdrawal of Serena Williams.  After earning her first top 10 win, the pressure now switches to Swiatek in a showdown against shock quarter-finalist Trevisan, the world number 159 who hadn’t won a main draw match at a Slam before Roland Garros. Trevisan has openly discussed her past struggles with anorexia, demonstrating her resilience and ability to overcome hurdles by twice fighting back from a set down in Paris. Like Swiatek, she also notched her biggest victory to date by taking out eighth seed Kiki Bertens in the last round and will crack the top 100 after a breakthrough display here.