Iga Swiatek maintained her journey towards becoming one of the top players of her era by dominating Jessica Pegula with a score of 6-1, 6-0 to claim her first WTA Finals victory in her early career.
At only 22 years old, she has won her sixth title this season and her 17th overall. This will secure her spot as the No. 1 player for the second year in a row, surpassing Aryna Sabalenka with her win in Cancún. This also marks her 76th week at the top, making her rank 10th on the all-time list for most weeks at No. 1.
Pegula, the fifth seed, had arrived in her first final at the WTA Finals in brilliant form having dismantled all four opponents en route. Her 2-1 record against Swiatek this year demonstrated her growth. When Swiatek is in full flow, though, almost nobody can live with her.
At the beginning, the Polish player dominated Pegula with her aggressive and powerful shots. Her strong topspin forehand consistently broke down the American’s defensive strategy. Swiatek’s superior speed and athleticism gave her an advantage in longer rallies, and she made impressive returns that dismantled Pegula’s serve.
Pegula attempted to overcome Swiatek’s dominant performance by taking greater risks, but her mistakes accumulated and the end was near. Swiatek’s ability to defeat some of the top players in the world has been remarkable, with her most one-sided wins often occurring in finals. Despite having a strong week, Pegula was unable to escape Swiatek’s dominance.
Swiatek’s recent performance at the WTA Finals has been incredibly dominant, as she only lost 20 games in five matches. This is a record-breaking feat, surpassing Serena Williams’ previous record of 32 games lost during her 2012 victory.
This year has been quite difficult for Swiatek as she has attempted to continue her impressive 2022 season and deal with the accompanying pressure. Following her loss of the No. 1 ranking at the US Open in September to Jelena Ostapenko, she confessed to struggling with playing without restrictions.
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After successfully overcoming those difficulties, Swiatek ends the season in an even more formidable position. She concludes with an impressive record of 68 wins and 11 losses, six championship titles including her fourth major victory at the French Open, and reclaiming her position as the top player in the world without any doubt.
Source: theguardian.com
