Iga Swiatek, the world’s number one, just keeps winning with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph against No. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final on Sunday, the Polish star won her fourth consecutive championship and her 23rd straight match.
Swiatek completed her week with a dominant 84-minute victory over fourth-ranked Sabalenka, making her Stuttgart tournament debut a victorious one. Swiatek won her sixth Hologic WTA Tour singles championship with the victory.
She had to save a breakpoint in the first game with a rally crosscourt backhand, but she progressed through the set methodically from there, surviving a string of great Sabalenka backhands as the Pole picked off important points in a few tight games. Sabalenka’s unexpected double fault on set point handed Swiatek the lead.
“It’s pretty surreal, honestly,” said Swiatek. “A few years ago I wouldn’t have even thought about being in this kind of group so for sure right now I need to work harder to keep this streak but I’m just going to take it to match by match.
“I’m super proud of myself and really satisfied. These kinds of players were my role models when I was growing up so it’s great.”
Sabalenka fought back from a breakpoint down in the second set, hitting numerous forehand winners down the line. Swiatek, on the other hand, achieved flawless placement on her strokes down the stretch, winning the final four games to claim her latest championship.
The two had split their previous meetings, at the WTA Finals last year and the Qatar Open in February, but it was the in-form Swiatek who thrived in their maiden clay-court match, coping with her opponent’s heavy hitting with ease.
Iga Swiatek will receive a Porsche in addition to her prize money and will have a lead of over 2,000 points in the standings on Monday.
Read Also:
