BEIJING — World No.2 Iga Swiatek capped off an ideal event debut on the China Open after defeating No.22 Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-2 in Sunday’s closing to win her tour-leading fifth title of the season.
With the win, Swiatek turns into the primary participant since Serena Williams to win 5 or extra titles in back-to-back seasons, with the American doing so in 2014 and 2015.
Beijing is Swiatek’s sixteenth profession title, becoming a member of her 2023 title hauls at Roland Garros, Doha, Stuttgart and Warsaw. She misplaced only one set within the event. It’s also her sixth WTA 1000 title, making her the one participant to win six or extra WTA 1000 titles earlier than the age of 23, eclipsing Caroline Wozniacki’s 5.
Taking part in in her seventh closing of the season on Sunday, Swiatek moved her head-to-head document to 3-0 over Samsonova. Earlier this season, Swiatek dropped only one sport to Samsonova on the exhausting courts of Dubai.
Samsonova booked a spot in her second WTA 1000 closing of the season by notching her third Prime 10 win of the yr over No.5 Elena Rybakina within the semifinals. Her Beijing run will guarantee a return to the Prime 20 on Monday. However her efforts all through the week, together with wins over Jelena Ostapenko, Petra Kvitova, and Marta Kostyuk, had left the 24-year-old quick on power.
Bouzkova, Sorribes Tormo win first WTA 1000 doubles title in Beijing
How the match was received: On a cool evening in Beijing, Swiatek took benefit of the slower circumstances to neutralize Samsonova’s energy. After an alternate of 5 holds to open the match, Samsonova double-faulted on her first break level of the match to provide Swiatek the lead. Swiatek responded by persevering with to shrink the court docket on Samsonova, hitting zero unforced errors within the opening set and breaking once more to seal the lead.
Coming off a near-perfect semifinal efficiency in opposition to US Open champion Coco Gauff, the place the Pole didn’t face a single break level, Swiatek’s serve once more proved dominant. She didn’t face a break level in opposition to Samsonova and locked down her sport from the baseline by taking part in measured, aggressive tennis. After breaking Samsonova for a 3-1 lead within the second set, Swiatek earned a key maintain in a 30-all sport to increase her result in 4-1.
Swiatek closed out the win from there, incomes her first match level with an ideal forehand passing shot and sealing the 69-minute win after Samsonova put a drop shot into the web.
Stat of the match: Swiatek completed the match with out tallying a single unforced error.
“I believe that is what she’s doing the very best as a result of that is the stress that she made to different gamers, that she would not make unforced errors,” Samsonova mentioned. “Each time it’s worthwhile to do one thing extra. It is not actual what you’re feeling, however she makes you’re feeling like this. That is what I realized as we speak.”
Swiatek tightens the Race for year-end No.1: The year-end No.1 can be determined on the WTA Finals in Cancun. Swiatek got here into the event trailing No.1 Aryna Sabalenka by 1,305 factors on the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard. With the win on Sunday, Swiatek reduce Sabalenka’s lead all the way down to 630 factors, with 1,500 factors up for grabs in Cancun.
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Information Abstract:
- Swiatek beats Samsonova in Beijing to seize fifth title of 2023
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