Swiatek breaks the speed limit in rapid-fire win

Iga Swiatek switched to warp speed after rain delayed her fourth-round match by an hour, with the two-time Indian Wells Masters champion pounding out a crushing, quick-fire victory.

The world No. 2 dispatched Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-1 in less than an hour to reach the quarter-finals with ease.

“I feel like I have a little vacation, finishing so early,” the Pole who has won two of the past three editions here said.

“I hope the (hot, sunny) weather of the previous days comes back,” she said of a match played under cloudy skies with the rare threat of desert rain.

The defending champion won her ninth straight match here as she bids for the  11th 1000-level title of her career.

The winner never faced a threat to her serve while breaking Muchova five times from 11 chances.

“I felt great out there today, even if everyone’s (pre-match) routine was disrupted,” Swiatek said. “It was a little different due to the (morning) rain. 

“But I was able to adjust and I’m happy about that. I used all of my chances.”

the 15th-ranked Muchova was playing the event for a second times and reached the quarter-finals in 2023.