Coco Gauff solves Aryna Sabalenka for first final at WTA Finals, will face Zheng Qinwen for Riyadh title

A day after top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka rolled through her debut match at the WTA Finals, second-ranked Iga Swiatek kept pace in the race for year-end world No. 1 with the Australian Open champion.

Swiatek was made to work for the first hour of her opening Cancun contest by Marketa Vondrousova. In a battle of major winners, the four-time Grand Slam title holder fended off this year’s Wimbledon winner, 7-6 (3), 6-0, to seal the Chetumal Group meeting.

“I’m pretty happy that I kind of adjusted and I could be more solid in the second set,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview. “For sure it wasn’t easy. Marketa is a great player. Especially her spin from [her] left hand is always tougher.

“I’m happy I could just fight.”

Coming in, Swiatek had claimed the pair’s prior two encounters, including a 7-6 (3), 6-1 quarterfinal win at Cincinnati in August. In that clash, Vondrousova had two opportunities to serve out the first set and couldn’t convert. Much like on that day, Swiatek escaped in similar fashion.

Swiatek upped her WTA-leading match wins on the year to 64.

Advertising

On this occasion, the 22-year-old fell behind by a double break as she struggled to find consistent timing against the Czech’s variety. But two aggressive return games with clear intention to take it to the left-hander paid off.

When it was time to decide matters in the tie-break, Swiatek made her move after changing ends with a massive inside-our forehand strike. Two points later, her first ace lined up three set points. A double fault long from Vondrousova soon followed.

The No. 6 seed sprayed four unforced errors, including three deep forehands, in dropping serve to open set two. Swiatek came through a 12-point game to consolidate and from there, piled it on as she so often does as the frontrunner. After one hour and 40 minutes, the match was hers.

Swiatek improved to 18-2 in her career against lefties in tour-level matches and has gone 7-0 (14-0 in sets ) this season alone. She finished with 19 winners to 22 unforced errors compared to six and 23 off Vondrousova's racquet.

Sabalenka has a decisive advantage in the possible scenarios that will ultimately determine the WTA year-end No. 1, a covered position Swiatek has clinched the past two seasons. How Swiatek can overtake Sabalenka is broken down here.

Advertising