Iga Swiatek had lost two of her last three matches before the China Open. She was facing a dilemma for the first time in her career. Winning the China Open has come at the most needed time for Swiatek. She only lost a single set on the way to the title and played the perfect game in the final against Liudmila Samsonova. Swiatek could not hold back her tears after winning the final point in the event.
The Polish player thanked the crowd and went to hug her team as she became emotional. It was not just a WTA 1000 title for her but a guiding light during the darkest times. Swiatek said that winning the event gave her hope and a lesson for life. She said, “I cried a little after winning because I know how hard it is to stay positive & stay focused on the future.” The trophy will be a reminder of the tough times for Swiatek.
Iga Swiatek on crying after winning the title in Beijing:
“I cried a little after winning because I know how hard it is to stay positive & stay focused on the future. Maybe not to all of them, but for me. I have felt immense support from my team in recent weeks. I am very… pic.twitter.com/gNsuro8Uo0
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 8, 2023
Iga Swiatek says winning Beijing taught her a lesson for the rest of her life:
“This tournament will give me confidence for the rest of my career. It teaches me that there are always possibilities to surpass yourself. Sometimes it is quite simple, but we complicate things. I am… pic.twitter.com/Hn0NRGLVwr
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 9, 2023
The world No.2 suffered agonizing defeats in her last two events. Now, Swiatek has overcome the pain through her success in Beijing. She can keep up the winning streak and accumulate more points by the end of the season. Swiatek leads in season wins this year with 63 matches, and Aryna Sabalenka comes second with 53 wins. Although, Sabalenka leads Swiatek by 590 points in terms of rankings.
Iga Swiatek edges closer to top spot after China Open win
The WTA tour rankings did not change much after the China Open. But the battle for the crown has become more interesting. Sabalenka leads the charge with 9480 points, while Swiatek has 8890 points. The rest of the players have not yet reached the 7000-point mark this season. The world No.1 had a healthy lead over Swiatek, but a quarterfinal defeat at Beijing made things worse.
Both players will be next seen at the WTA finals in Cancun. The event will start on the 29th of October and end on the 5th of November. The Belarusian will try to extend her lead, and her only option will be to outplay Swiatek in the event. An early loss similar to the China Open will dampen her chances of remaining in the top spot. It will be tough now as the 22-year-old looks to have regained her form just in the nick of time.
By winning Beijing, @iga_swiatek closes the gap with #1 Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the WTA rankings from 1,071 to 590 points—she also closes the gap at the top of the year-to-date race from 1,305 to 630 points. 👀
Year-end #1 will be up for grabs at the WTA Finals in Cancun:
— TENNIS (@Tennis) October 9, 2023
Sabalenka and Swiatek now have 20 days of preparation for the season finale. They have played against each other in two finals this season and share one victory each. While Swiatek leads the overall head-to-head with 5 wins in eight matches, Sabalenka has been more consistent lately. The WTA finals will decide the rankings on the tour, as fans will have to wait for a few more weeks.