Iga Swiatek swats aside Madison Keys for winning start at WTA Finals
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Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her round of 32 match against Madison Keys of the US.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Iga Swiatek defeated Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2 in the WTA Finals in Riyadh, marking a strong start in her quest for a second title.
- Keys struggled after a US Open loss, while Swiatek dominated, winning in 61 minutes; the tournament offers US$15.5 million prize money.
- Other matches include Anisimova vs Rybakina and Sabalenka vs Paolini; Sabalenka is assured year-end world number one ranking.
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RIYADH - World number two Iga Swiatek began her quest for a second WTA Finals trophy with a 6-1 6-2 win over Australian Open champion Madison Keys in their round-robin clash at the season-ending championships on Nov 1.
The 2023 champion made a fast start in the Riyadh showpiece, winning 12 of the first 14 points to take a 3-0 lead as a rusty Keys struggled to find rhythm on serve in her first match since a stunning US Open first-round defeat in late August.
Swiatek continued to pile on the pressure on her American opponent, who looked out of sorts in her first appearance in the season finale since her debut in 2016, and the Pole raced away to take the opening set dropping only one game.
The pair swopped breaks at the start of the second set, but an untimely double fault from Keys handed the advantage back to Swiatek, who made no mistake from there to wrap up the victory on serve in only 61 minutes.
The WTA Finals, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world, has a record prize pool of US$15.5 million (S$20 million) and offers 1,500 points. The tournament culminates with the finals at King Saud University Sports Arena on Nov 8.
In the second match from the Serena Williams Group later on Nov 1, Wimbledon and US Open runner-up Amanda Anisimova of the United States will take on Kazakhstan’s former All England Club champion Elena Rybakina.
On Nov 2, the top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka begins her bid for a maiden WTA Finals title when the Belarusian takes on two-times major finalist Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the Steffi Graf Group before holder Coco Gauff meets fellow American Jessica Pegula.
Unlike in the previous two editions of the tournament, the year-end world number one ranking will not be up for grabs with US Open champion Sabalenka assured of finishing on top after building a 1,675-point lead over Swiatek heading to Riyadh. REUTERS
