Number 1 seed Elina Svitolina cruised past Elena Gabriela Rune 6-3 6-3 after 1 hour and 48 minutes to reach the quarter finals at the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic.
Svitolina won her first title at the Chicago Women’s Open just before the US Open. The Ukrainian player won the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo and reached the quarter final at the US Open and two semifinals in Miami and Stuttgart. She has remained in the top 10 for 209 consecutive weeks longest streak for most consecutive weeks, the longest streak for most consecutive weeks in the top 10.
Ruse was playing against a top 10 player for the first time in her career. The Romanian player scored the best win of her career by ranking with her win over this year’s Canadian Open champion and world number 37 Camila Giorgi.
Svitolina won 63% of Ruse’s second service points. The former WTA Finals champion converted four of her 16 break points.
Svitolina converted her fifth break point to take a 1-0 lead after a 17-minute first game featuring nine deuces. Ruse broke back in the sixth game with a backhand crosscourt winner to draw level to 3-3. Svitolina earned her second break in the seventh and ninth games to close out the first set 6-3.
Ruse held serve in the second game of the second set after a seven-deuce game to draw level to 1-1. Svitolina earned the only break of the second set in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Ruse saved a match point and earned her second break point, as Svitolina serving for the match at 5-3. Svitolina brought up her second match point with a passing winner and converted it with her second ace.
Svitolina set up a quarter final against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who came back from one set down to beat Jessica Pegula 1-6 6-2 6-3. Svitolina has won all three of her previous head-to-head matches against Jabeur.
“I think the first time I played against Jabeur was in 2010 in Belgium. The next week we played in the final of Roland Garros. It was very special for both of us”, said Svitolina.
