Hope for Swiatek's rivals in WTA finals

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic - Iga Swiatek remains the overwhelming favourite for the season-ending WTA Finals, which starts on Oct 31 in Fort Worth, Texas.

However, the first final loss suffered by the top-ranked player in women's tennis will give her rivals a glimmer of hope as the campaign nears its conclusion.

Barbora Krejcikova clinched her second successive WTA title with a stunning come-from-behind 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win over Swiatek in the Ostrava final on Sunday.

This was not only the Czech's first win over the Pole in three attempts but she also ended her opponent's 10-match winning streak.

It was just the second loss for Swiatek in 12 career finals, having previously been beaten by Polona Hercog in her debut final in Lugano in 2019.

However, the reigning French and US Open final champion narrowly missed out on another triumph - she was two points from an eighth title of the season - with Krejcikova serving at 30-30 in the 12th game of the second set.

Despite her upset, Swiatek was still in good spirits as she declared her intention to donate her finalist's cheque of US$71,960 (S$103, 359) to mental health charities in her native Poland.

"I really wanted to play well here to have a big amount of money to donate… and I'm pretty happy that I could do that," she said.

"I really want to spread awareness and let people know that they can use the help if they need it, or help others if they have resources. I'm pretty happy to use my position that way."

In 2021, Swiatek also donated money to a mental health charity during Indian Wells.

Having been given a bye, she will enter the round of 16 at the San Diego Open on Wednesday and play her final tournament before the WTA Finals.

Meanwhile, Australian opposition lawmaker and former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has argued that waiving Novak Djokovic's visa ban to let him play in the Australian Open would be a "slap in the face" for the majority of Australians who chose to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

The Serb was deported from Australia in the lead-up to the Grand Slam in January for declining to be vaccinated. The former men's world No. 1 and 21-time Major champion is barred from Australia until 2025, but can have his three-year visa ban waived by the current government.

Australia in July scrapped a rule that required international travellers to declare their Covid-19 vaccination status, and Djokovic is awaiting "positive news"on his bid to play at Melbourne Park in 2023.

But Andrews said that the rule change should have no bearing on the Serb's case.

"(Why should) Novak Djokovic be allowed back into the country simply because he's a high-ranking tennis player with many millions of dollars?" she told ABC Radio on Monday. "It shouldn't be just one rule for (him) and a different rule for everyone else."

No comment was immediately available from Djokovic, while Australia's Home Affairs Ministry reiterated that it does not comment on individual cases.

AFP, REUTERS