For a woman who has admitted that her 75-week reign as the world’s best player eventually became burdensome, Iga Swiatek is not exactly going out of her way to avoid reclaiming that status.
As Swiatek’s resurgent run at the China Open culminated with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Liudmila Samsonova, the Russian world No 22, the statistics suggested that the Pole, overtaken at the top of the rankings by Aryna Sabalenka at last month’s US Open, may not be playing second fiddle for long.
With her fifth title of the year, Swiatek edged within 630 points of Sabalenka in the race to clinch the year-end No 1 ranking, and the Belarusian may need a deep run at the WTA finals, which begin three weeks from now in Cancun, Mexico, if she is to remain on top of the pile. As things stand, Swiatek has won more tournaments and more matches than any other player on the WTA Tour this season.
Yet a richly emotional evening in Beijing was about far more than numbers and points. As Samsonova dispatched a final despairing drop shot into the bottom of the net, confirming Swiatek’s first WTA 1000 title of the year, the Pole glanced back towards her team before bending forward with her head in her hands, her eyes dewy with emotion. It was clear how much this victory meant to her. So much of this season has been about dealing with criticism and expectation, about maintaining a stiff upper lip; now, back in the winners’ circle, the emotions Swiatek has fought so hard to suppress rose to the surface.
“For sure, this is really big for me,” said Swiatek. “Winning this title is something that I never would have thought about at the beginning of the tournament. I’m pretty proud of myself.
“I cried a little bit after because I know how tough it was for us to stay positive and stay focused on the future. Maybe not for us, but for me. I felt huge support from my team during these past weeks. I was really grateful for that.”
The emotional conclusion to the match stood in stark contrast to the ruthless performance that preceded it. Much has been made of Swiatek’s vulnerability to big-hitting opponents who can deny her time. But the tactic is only as effective as the ability of an opponent to execute it, and few have been able to do so with the required consistency. Samsonova undoubtedly possesses the necessary firepower and, as she came out swinging, snatching the first two points against Swiatek’s serve with a pair of meaty forehands, her game plan was clear.
As her mistakes mounted, however, it became equally apparent that Samsonova was straying outside her comfort zone. The things she did well were frequently good enough to beat anyone in the world; the problem was she couldn’t do them often enough. The 24-year-old saw off a trio of grand slam champions to earn her second tilt at a WTA 1000 title in as many months, claiming straight-sets wins over Petra Kvitova, Jelena Ostapenko and Elena Rybakina. Yet those players are viper-like in their instincts, picking off prey with lightning-fast serves and flashing winners. In Swiatek, the Russian faced a constrictor whose metronomic consistency slowly squeezed the life out of her. Remarkably, Swiatek navigated the entire 70-minute contest without making a single unforced error.
“This is the stress that she makes to other players, that she doesn’t make unforced errors,” said Samsonova, who will rise to 16th in the rankings on Monday. “Every time, you need to do something more. It’s not real what you feel, but she makes you feel like this.”
When the pair faced each other earlier this year in Dubai, Samsonova won just one game. The score-line might suggest otherwise, but this defeat felt even more comprehensive. Swiatek conceded only 10 points on serve and did not face a single break point, as was also the case in her similarly emphatic semi-final win over Coco Gauff. From the moment Samsonova produced a pair of double-faults in the fifth game, gifting Swiatek the platform to claim the first break of the match, the direction of travel was established.
It has been a week of immense significance for Swiatek. She has showcased the improvements she has made to her game since the US Open, seen off different opponents in different ways, and offered a powerful and timely reminder of her mettle as a champion. It bears all the hallmarks of a new beginning.
“I feel like this tournament will give me confidence for the rest of my career that there’s always a chance to overcome, and work on what you do or what you feel,” said Swiatek.
“You can always get better. Sometimes it’s kind of pretty easy, but we tend to make it more complicated in our heads.
“I’m really happy that I just focused on hard work. It kind of paid off. Maybe not instantly, but I’m happy that after US Open I just got back to basics and worked really hard tennis-wise.
“I’ll just continue to do that. Winning this trophy is something that will teach me a lesson for the rest of my life.”