Korea Open Round-Up: Iga Swiatek set for double duty with semi-final showdown set against Maya Joint

Rained off yesterday, Iga Swiatek will have to play double duty today if she wants to reach Sunday's Korea Open final in Seoul and her first part is complete with the second to come shortly after a mini break.

Swiatek opened up Friday at the Korea Open facing off against Barbora Krejcikova in what is a tough match on paper but one that she made to look very easy. She sealed it with a loss of just three games 6-0, 6-3. Certainly not wasting any time after yesterday's rain delays, she surged into the semi-finals but as did her next opponent.

Maya Joint has already won multiple titles this season and is a rising teenage prodigy and the Aussie ace managed to make light work also of a tough test on paper herself as she eased past Clara Tauson 6-0, 6-3 to book her spot in a near mirror image of the dominant Swiatek display. This set the first semi-final which will see the Pole face the Australian. Given she is also playing in China next week, Swiatek might be forgiven for not thinking too much into her next match as if she loses she gets the match practice she wants and then heads in to Beijing.

Of course though the title will be the aim albeit. But Joint has the potential given her form line in these events to pull of a shock. In reality it could be one sided like both their Quarter-Finals or be a really drawn out affair.

It wasn't as easy in the other two Quarter-Finals but it was still straight sets. Katerina Siniakova managed to surge past Suzan Lamens 6-1, 7-5 to continue a superb week. As well as singles exploits, she has managed to reunite with Krejcikova to great effect in the doubles. Albeit this means unlike her other rivals she played yesterday indoors while the rain came down. So perhaps hands a disadvantage to her later today into tomorrow if she wins.

Her next opponent and potentially on a collision course with Swiatek in the final is Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Russian managed to take down rising German Ella Seidel 6-2, 6-3 in the end to complete the opening Quarter-Finals. They will return at around 11am CET for the opening semi-final which sees Swiatek face Joint.

Slated in at around 12:30 CET is Siniakova v Alexandrova and a reminder they will return tomorrow for the final in Seoul. A rain delayed few days but this will either help the big names or hinder them. For the moment, it's doing the former.