Iga Swiatek rallies from set and double break down to beat Barbora Krejcikova in Riyadh; world No 2 plays first match in two months and rustiness tells early on; Coco Gauff wins all-American clash with Jessica Pegula; world No 1 Barbora Krejcikova back in action on Monday
Iga Swiatek recovered from a set and double break down to begin her WTA Finals defence with victory over Barbora Krejcikova in her first match in two months.
World No 2 Swiatek had not played since a quarter-final exit to Jessica Pegula at the US Open in September and that perhaps told as she was broken in the opening game of the first two sets.The Pole looked to be heading for defeat as she tumbled 3-0 down to Wimbledon champion Krejcikova in the second set but then won 13 of the next 17 games to triumph 4-6 7-5 6-2.Swiatek – who still has an outside chance of regaining the world No 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka if she wins this tournament in Riyadh – rushed into a 5-0 lead in the deciding set
A visibly fatiguing Krejcikova earned a break back to keep the match alive but then lost serve again as Swiatek wrapped up victory in a little over two and half hourI just tried to do my usual stuff, control the ball a bit more because it was flying from my racket. I knew I had that game in me. I just needed to find it.”
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