Teenage girl Swiatek outclasses top favorite Halep and is in the quarterfinals

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Iga Swiatek is in the quarter-finals of the French Open

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MARTIN BUREAU / AFP

Iga Swiatek continued her impressive performance at the French Open and defeated number one seed Simona Halep in the round of 16 of the French Open 6: 1, 6: 2.

The unseeded 19-year-old gave the world number two no chance and turned her second match point after 68 minutes.

It is the biggest defeat of a top seeded player in the history of the French Open.

"I'm surprised by myself," said Swiatek after the match: "A dream has come true." 

Last year it was Halep who made it into the quarter-finals in a hurry against Swiatek, who was ten years younger.

In 45 minutes, the Romanian had only given one game.

This year it was to be different.

Up until now, Halep had made it through the tournament in Paris without any problems.

But Swiatek had only given up 13 games in just under three hours in the three matches up to the round of 16.

Halep still seemed surprised by the active style of play of the ten-year-old Pole, who turned her second set point after 26 minutes, a 13-stroke rally and a longline forehand winner.

Halep then left the field, not an unusual move for the 29-year-old, who tries to collect himself in order to start again.

In the middle of the second set it briefly seemed as if she had actually found her game, Swiatek made a few more mistakes than in the first round.

When the score was 1: 5, Halep still won her service game, but could no longer prevent the defeat.

After about an hour, Halep Swiatek's second match ball returned into the net.

Swiatek clenched his fist and, with tears in his eyes, accepted the opponent's congratulations.

In the quarter-finals she will now meet Martina Trevisan or Kiki Bertens.

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