Iga Swiatek kicked off her pursuit to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking with a comeback victory over Barbora Krejcikova in the WTA Finals group stages.
The Polish star initially trailed the Wimbledon champion by a set and a double break before rallying to secure a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win.
This match marked the 23-year-old’s first appearance since her quarterfinal exit at the US Open in September and her first under new coach Wim Fissette.
“At the beginning, I felt a bit rusty, but I’m happy I found a way to play a bit more solid,” Swiatek shared.
Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka are both vying for the year-end No. 1 spot. To reclaim it, Swiatek needs to win the title, while Sabalenka must either win all three of her round-robin matches or reach the final.
Sabalenka launched her campaign with a win over Zheng Qinwen on Saturday. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff defeated fellow American and doubles partner Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-2 in the second Orange Group match on Sunday.
The top two players from each group will move on to the semifinals. Sabalenka, Zheng, Elena Rybakina, and Jasmine Paolini compete in the Purple Group.
For the first time, the tournament is being held in Saudi Arabia, a decision that has faced criticism due to the country’s human rights record.
French Open champion Iga Swiatek took an extended break following the US Open, withdrawing from tournaments in China for personal reasons and ending her three-year partnership with her coach.
Arriving early in Riyadh to adjust to the courts, her play was initially erratic. Swiatek was broken in the first game and, despite creating chances on Krejcikova’s serve, struggled with her forehand.
Krejcikova, who finished outside the top eight but qualified for the tournament as a Grand Slam champion, served out the first set and swiftly went up a break in the second.
Swiatek double-faulted in her next service game, giving Krejcikova a double break. She briefly expressed frustration toward her team but then regained her focus, reducing unforced errors to level the set at 3-3. She ultimately took advantage when Krejcikova faltered on serve, clinching the second set.
With momentum on her side, Swiatek dominated the final set, leading 5-0 before closing out the match after two hours and 35 minutes as an increasingly fatigued Krejcikova struggled to keep up.
“At times sloppy, at times brilliant – that’s the nature of tennis.”
Coco Gauff’s US Open title defense ended in the fourth round in September, but she quickly rebounded after parting ways with coach Brad Gilbert, capturing the China Open title.
Her serve, which had faltered in New York, looked stronger against Jessica Pegula, with the 20-year-old delivering two aces and only two double faults.
While her forehand—often seen as her main weakness—remained somewhat inconsistent, Gauff displayed solid play overall. She broke serve to go up 4-2 and then smoothly served out the first set, sealing it with a forehand winner.
Pegula struggled to maintain consistency against her close friend, frequently following up strong points with unexpected errors. She was broken in the first game of the second set and, in frustration, slammed her racquet to the court; however, the outburst seemed to help her refocus as she broke back after trailing 40-0.
Yet a string of four unforced errors from Pegula handed the break back to Gauff, who then won four consecutive games to secure the win.
“Sometimes it was sloppy, sometimes it was great—that’s tennis,” Gauff reflected.
