Iga Swiatek's WTA Finals hopes come to an end with tough loss to Anisimova

 

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Sometimes, at this late juncture of the WTA Finals’ round-robin matches, the semifinal scenarios can be daunting. Calculators and slide rules -- maybe even a compass -- might not be enough to navigate the obscure tiebreakers that can come into play.

Thankfully, there was only one possible outcome on Wednesday evening when No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek

 faced No. 4 Amanda Anisimova at the King Saud University Indoor Arena:

Winner take all.

No. 6 Elena Rybakina had already clinched the Serena Williams Group’s first semifinal berth and top seed before her 6-4, 6-4 victory over alternate Ekaterina Alexandrova, leaving this match to decide the final spot.

It was a banger. In what was undoubtedly the best stroke-for-stroke match of the tournament so far, Anisimova advanced with a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2 win over Swiatek.

Coming into the tournament, Anisimova was asked if she had surprised herself this season. Yes, she said.

But was she surprised by this second successive victory over Swiatek?

“No, I don’t think I was surprised or shocked at any point in the match,” Anisimova said. “I knew it was going to be really tough, and I was preparing for that. Yeah, I think I just tried to enjoy it.

“I feel like I belong at this point and I’ve played a lot of tough matches this year. I know my capabilities. And I know if I can play my best tennis, I can give it my best shot.”

Anisimova has beaten all four of this year’s Grand Slam winners, including Swiatek twice.

It was the first time in Swiatek’s career she’s lost back-to-back matches after winning the opening set.

Afterward, Swiatek was understandably upset.

“Honestly,” she said, “I did everything I could today, so like no regrets. I felt like I was really in the zone, positive mindset. I fought and really didn’t give up -- it wasn’t enough, which makes me sad.

“I don’t know, maybe I can find some understanding … when you do everything and it’s still not enough, I guess it means you just need to get your tennis better.”

Rybakina and Anisimova will await the results of Thursday’s two final round-robin matches that will determine their Friday semifinal opponents from the Stefanie Graf Group.

The first 23 games, constantly fraught with tension, did not feature a single break of serve. The match ran 2 hours and 36 minutes. Anisimova won 107 points, to Swiatek’s 103.

Anisimova is the first player to hit more than 40 winners in a WTA Finals' match since Caroline Garcia versus Daria Kasatkina in 2022 (42).

Anisimova, currently ranked a career-high No. 4, came in with some impressive credentials. She was the only player to qualify here from outside the Top 20 of the PIF WTA Rankings and the only one to beat each of the current Top 3 players -- Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek and Coco Gauff-- this season. This is her first WTA Finals appearance.

The charged recent history between the two brought a distinct edge to this match. Swiatek was responsible for what almost certainly was the most difficult professional loss of Anisimova’s career, a 6-0, 6-0 scalding in the Wimbledon final. Showing remarkable fortitude, Anisimova returned the favor, knocking Swiatek out of the US Open with a 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal victory.

For 59 minutes on Wednesday, it was a dead heat. Twelve straight service holds -- a rarity these days -- delivered them to a first-set tiebreak. To get there, Swiatek needed to save four break points, two of them serving at 5-all. Anisimova didn’t face even one.

It was 1-all when Swiatek asserted herself, hitting three straight winners to take a 4-1 lead that Anisimova never challenged. After playing so cleanly, a few cracks began to emerge in her game. When her last forehand soared long, an Anisimova anguished, extended groan climbed at least an octave.

And so it went, with service hold after hold. Finally, with Anisimova leading 5-4, Swiatek was broken and the match was level at a set apiece.

Swiatek saved two break points in each of her first two service games in the ultimate frame -- but not a third. A double fault gave Anisimova a 3-1 lead. Given the tightness of the match, it felt like a lot more.

This was an encouraging outing from Anisimova, who edged ahead in the head-to-head 2-1. In a season of career firsts, she’s into her first semifinal at the year-end championship.

wtatennis.com

Iga went from playing one of her worst matches at the WTA Finals vs Rybakina 2 days ago to one of her absolute best today, but sadly still wasn't enough. Came up just a bit short on the big points today. 

Had her chances in the 2nd those wasted break points proved decisive to the match. 

This marks the first time Iga has lost back to back matches in a single tournament in 4 years (mind boggling!). 

And the first time in her career she has lost back to back matches from a set up. 

That's how good her best has been.

I know a lot of people are disappointed, and there's talk as there always is of changing something in the team, when the reality is we don't know the intricacies of it and clearly it works for Iga. 

In this sport every player has one or 2 bad seasons after years of dominance. Some of the best players in the world have had it happen to them. It happened to Roger, to Rafa and to Novak even Serena. 

And now it's happened to Iga. 

But amazingly despite not being able to reach the dizzying heights of previous years she still give her fans fantastic triumphs on 2 of her worst surfaces grass and the fast hard courts of Cincinnati. 

No one expected that (least of all Iga herself) and yet she did so in spectacular fashion. 

So much so I think maybe Anisimova really took that Wimbledon double bagel very personally. 

The season is not quite over for Iga since she'll be taking part in 2 BJK Cup ties in Poland, but I'm already hoping and dreaming about big things for Iga in 2026. 

She achieved one of the biggest dreams for fans of Polish tennis, being the first ever Pole to win the prestigious Wimbledon Championship. Something I always thought she would achieve last (if ever).

Next year she'll have a chance for a Career Slam at the Aussie Open, she has been so close made the semis for 3 years now and was a point away from the final last year.

Having really figured out the quick courts this year I have big hopes for it in January.

When it comes to the WTA Finals this year Iga got dealt a bit of a bad hand with all the big flat hitters (players that give her the most trouble) ending up in her group. 

That bad loss to Rybakina was a bit of a nail in the coffin. 

Seeing Iga looking quite down in her interviews despite trying to sound positive hurts to watch a bit, wish the media would give players more time to process before asking them to order their thoughts after a heartbreak. 

Hold your head up Iga, you ended the season on a high and showed a fantastic level, even played your best tiebreak of the  year. In fact this match was the best showcased at the WTA Finals in this year thus far. 

Lot's to be proud of. 

Not the least of which making it through another grueling season injury free, when so many players didn't even finish the season due to mental of physical exhaustion. 

Your superior conditioning will always be a big plus and something to be extremely proud of. 

See you in Gorzow Iga! 

Iga Swiatek starts another season ending WTA finals with a clinical performance

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- There are no free lunches at the WTA Finals, not when you have the world’s best eight singles players from 2025 all gathered under the same roof at King Saud University Indoor Arena.

Right out of the box on Saturday night, in the very first singles match, two of the four Grand Slam winners faced off.

After a prematch snack of fresh strawberries, No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek, the Wimbledon winner, defeated No. 7 Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2.

“Kind of [happy] with everything,” Swiatek said. “Mostly my serve and overall focus. I was in the zone from the beginning to the end, and I really wanted to keep it that way.”

Did Swiatek think Keys’ extended layoff was a factor in the result?

“I’m not in her head -- so I can’t really say,” she said. “But from my experience, yeah, not playing for a longer time can make you a bit rusty.”

Keys, who hadn’t played in 68 days after losing in the first round of the US Open, looked sluggish and her timing seemed off. Coaches will tell you it’s difficult to replicate the intensity of match play in practice.

Swiatek won 12 of 15 games and 58 of 87 points, converting five of eight break points. It was over in 61 minutes. The 24-year-old from Poland now leads the head-to-head 6-2. Previously, they had split this year’s two matches. Swiatek has won 62 tour-level matches so far in 2025, the most on tour.

After winning on the red clay at Roland Garros four times in five years (2020-24), Swiatek lost in semifinals earlier this year to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

 What followed was a stunning victory at Wimbledon, a slick surface she wondered if she’d ever master.

One of this year’s initiatives under coach Wim Fissette, Swiatek explained, was playing more aggressively on hard courts. In essence, she accepted more risk to reap greater rewards.

“I think technically for sure the way I played on faster surfaces, the way I handled sometimes faster balls that were an issue for me in previous seasons,” Swiatek told reporters Friday. “This was something that I felt improved totally.

“Also the speed of the serve. I don’t know, I think I was in some kind of a ranking of fifth or something in aces this year. That's impossible. But my serve improved. I would love for my percentage to always be consistent. That’s the next goal.”

The more immediate target is a title here, to go with her 2023 victory in Cancun. Swiatek recorded her first win in the Serena Williams Group, while Keys may well have to win her last two matches, against No. 4 Amanda Anisimova and No. 6 Elena Rybakina, to advance to the semifinals.

Keys, who returned to the practice courts after Saturday's match, said she picked up a minor injury during the summer.

“I just kept trying to play through it,” she said. “It was just one of those things where I couldn't ever be 100 percent. Just felt like the best decision for me to have the best opportunity for the Finals was to kind of take some time, get healthy.”

Keys is participating in her second year-end championship, going back to her initial breakthrough in 2016. Her record is now 1-3.

wtatennis.com

69 consecutive tournaments without losing the opening match 73 consecutive tournaments winning at least one match

Iga Swiatek is now undefeated in opening matches at WTA events in four years - including United Cup and WTA Finals: 69 events played since losing to Maria Sakkari at the WTA Finals 2021 in Guadalajara. Welcoming.

10 - Only Maria Sharapova (17), Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova (14 each) have now won more WTA Finals in Round Robin matches than Iga Swiatek (10). Group.

Iga Swiatek has won the most WTA-level matches in 2025 (61) becoming the first player with 60+ wins for 4+ consecutive seasons (2022-2025) since Martina Hingis (1997-2001) and Lindsay Davenport (1998-2001). Countdown.

WTA Finals 2025 top 8 in Riyadh

 

Women’s tennis thriving on the court as season wraps but WTA must catch up

Sabalenka and Swiatek head to Saudi finals after epic year yet organisers remain dire at marketing their product.

The final weeks of the women’s tennis season showcased one last twist in the furious race to determine the qualifiers for the WTA Finals. Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, finally caught fire after a year of near misses, bulldozing through her opponents to win a title in Ningbo, China that solidified her spot in Riyadh among the eight best players in the world.

Just as significant as Rybakina’s qualification, though, was its consequences for the player she usurped. Mirra Andreeva, the 18-year-old prodigy who won WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells this year, had seemed like a sure bet to qualify in singles for the finals. Her failure to do so underscores the fact that this year has been the toughest and most competitive women’s tennis season in years.

At the top, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have further strengthened their claims as the two greatest players of their generation. While the former put together another supremely consistent year as the best player in the world, winning her fourth grand slam title at the US Open and reaching the Australian and French Open finals, the latter captured the one tournament she never imagined she could win, earning her sixth grand slam title at Wimbledon.

Still, the other top players have allowed them no rest and the intense competition has inspired countless epic high-stakes matches throughout the year. It took consecutive colossal performances from Madison Keys against Swiatek and Sabalenka to finally win her first grand slam title at the Australian Open. In Paris, Coco Gauff outsmarted Sabalenka in a dramatic, wind-afflicted three-setter to win her second grand slam title aged just 21. Two days earlier, Sabalenka ended Swiatek’s three- year reign in another unforgettable duel.

At the US Open, women’s semi-final day turned out to be one of the best days of tennis this year as Sabalenka overcame Jessica Pegula in a breathless, high-quality battle before Amanda Anisimova continued her long-awaited breakthrough season by dragging herself past Naomi Osaka to reach a second consecutive grand slam final. Even Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Anisimova in the Wimbledon final turned out to be part of one of the most compelling storylines this year. Two months later, Anisimova showed her toughness by exacting revenge on the Pole at the earliest opportunity in New York.

This may have been a great year for women’s tennis on the court, but on the eve of another finals, the eternal question remains whether the tour can provide its talent with a strong enough platform to turn the sport into a thriving product again. As the Women’s Tennis Association’s flagship event, in recent years this tournament has reflected the tour’s struggles. It should actually be in the middle of a 10-year residency in Shenzhen but the Covid-19 pandemic and the WTA’s fleeting objections to the disappearance of Peng Shuai led to the cancellation of their agreement after the first edition in 2019.

The event then bounced between different countries each year, with various difficulties, a period that also left the WTA in a deep financial hole. Its inevitable embrace of Saudi Arabia addressed some of those financial issues and in recent years the organisation has been restructured. In 2023, the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners acquired a 20% stake in the WTA’s new commercial arm, WTA Ventures. Last August, it appointed Portia Archer as its chief executive.

For all the recent changes at the WTA, which included a significant image rebrand at the beginning of the year, it remains to be seen if it can put itself on the right path. Aside from changing the graphics of their website alongside a beige new slogan – Rally The World – not so much has changed to its public offering since that rebrand. The WTA marketing budget remains a fraction of that of the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and it shows in its paltry output on social media and lack of original content on YouTube.

Eight years after initiating its own bespoke subscription-based streaming product, WTA TV, the service still does not have its own app or a global presence. This also contrasts starkly with Tennis TV, the ATP’s streaming platform, which suffocates viewers with content. A particularly concerning development at the WTA, which does not reflect well on the organisation’s judgment, was the decision to end its WTA Insider initiative, one of the few ways that it effectively showcased the storylines within the sport. Otherwise, the WTA has been dire at marketing its players and their personalities for so long.

At a time when women’s sport is enjoying significant growth and momentum around the world, the WTA should be leading the way. Instead, it is still stunted by its own problems and the path forward is unclear. What is certain, though, is the quality provided by the athletes on the court. As play begins on Saturday, with Gauff attempting to defend her title in a brutal field composed of the best players in the world, there will be more great tennis to come.

the guardian.com

Now this is the kind of reporting more people need to read because it is the absolute truth. The WTA likes to pretend it's making progress but in reality it continues to be stagnant when compared to the ATP.

All these years later and despite plenty of progress it still feels like women are still being treated as 2nd class citizens. 

Whether it's prize money or money spent on marketing to sell the sport better. It is beyond sad, and perhaps more importantly incredibly frustrating. 

In 2025 WTATV still doesn't have an app (I have to watch the matches through the Amazon Silk browser). While the ATP app has had at least 3 revamps over the years and continues to improve. 

What's worse is that the WTA app still isn't global and only available in North America. Talk about an opportunity missed. 

How are people suppose to follow their favourite player around the world if it's not available to watch anywhere. 

It is such a simple and smart business solution yet no one in the organization seems to see it. Or maybe it's just that they don't much care.

And that's heartbreaking. As a woman I wouldn't even be a tennis fan if it weren't for the WTA.

Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz will once again start 2026 with Team Poland at United Cup

Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek are running it back. Two-time defending finalists Poland are the first team to commit to the 2026 United Cup.

The 2025 Wimbledon champion and former ATP World No. 6's early commitment ensures Poland will feature at the event for the fourth time in four editions after reaching two consecutive title bouts. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Hurkacz and Swiatek, Poland was runner-up to the United States in 2025, and Germany in 2024.

Swiatek, who has won 14 of her 16 career singles matches at the event said in a news released confirming her participation that "it's always an amazing experience and just an honor to represent your country and especially alongside such great players."

“I love being part of the team and have great memories of playing this event," she added. "This tournament is different. It brings more excitement than normal tournaments we play during the year.”

This January, Swiatek went unbeaten in the competition before losing to Coco Gauff in the women's singles rubber in the final in the U.S.'s 2-0 win. Last year, she and Hurkacz had championship points in the deciding mixed doubles match against Laura Siegemund and Alexander Zverev before falling.

Seventeen other countries will join Poland in the field at the mixed-gender team competition ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, and participation is subject to players committing to the event by the tournament’s entry deadline of Nov. 11. Perth will host the first day of United Cup action on Jan. 2 at RAC Arena, while the group stage in Sydney will begin on Jan. 3 at Ken Rosewall Arena.

Other details of the fifth edition of United Cup, to be held from Jan. 2-11, include:

At the entry deadline, 10 countries will qualify via the five highest-ranked men and five highest-ranked women entered, based on their PIF ATP Rankings and WTA Rankings.

Eight teams will qualify according to the best combined ranking of the highest-ranked men’s and women’s players from the same country.

At the second qualification date on Nov. 17, if there is a player in the Top 10 (maximum 1 ATP and 1 WTA player) of the latest PIF ATP Rankings or WTA Rankings who has entered and has an eligible team but has not been accepted based on their individual ATP/WTA ranking, they will be accepted -- and their team will replace the lowest-ranked team with combined ranking.

Australia is guaranteed entry, either directly via ranking or as a wild card.

Each city will host nine teams each: three groups of three countries, competing in a round-robin format, and each tie will comprise one men’s singles and one women’s singles match featuring the No.1-ranked singles players, and one mixed doubles match.

Group winners in each city advance to the quarterfinals with one quarterfinal spot in each city awarded to the best runner-up in that city.

Winners will progress to the semifinals and final to be played in Sydney.

wtatennis.com

Iga Swiatek reaches quarterfinals in Wuhan debut

In Thursday night’s first match, No. 2-seeded Iga Swiatek became the fifth WTA 1000 champion to advance to the quarterfinals at the Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open. In the nightcap, No. 3 Coco Gauff made it six.

Gauff was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Chinese wild card Zhang Shuai, while Swiatek defeated No. 13 Belinda Bencic 7-6 (2), 6-4.

They could meet in the semifinals, but first there is the matter of Friday’s supercharged quarterfinals.

Swiatek meets No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, who came back to defeat No. 10 Clara Tauson 3-6, 6-1, 3-1 via retirement.

Gauff has an unexpected match against unseeded Laura Siegemund, who advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Magdalena Frech. At 37, and the oldest player left in the draw, the German is looking for her second Top 10 win of the tournament following a second-round upset of No. 5 Mirra Andreeva.

Playing Wuhan for the first time, Swiatek has looked a lot like a six-time Grand Slam champion. The win over Bencic was the 125th WTA 1000 victory of her young career, and Friday will be her 25th WTA 1000 quarterfinal.

Swiatek finished with eight aces and converted four of six break-point opportunities in a match that clocked in at 2 hours and 8 minutes.

“For sure I wanted to play with confidence and make great decisions and not let her dictate,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview after the match. “It was super hard and every game was tough. That’s why it was two sets in over two hours. I’m happy that I was there in the deciding moments to be solid and play one more shot.”

This was Swiatek’s fifth win in six matches against Bencic, but it did not come easily. Since giving birth to daughter Bella in the spring of 2024, the Swiss player has steadily returned to her championship form. She was the winner in Abu Dhabi back in February and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, losing to eventual champion Swiatek.

After dropping the first three games to Swiatek, Bencic came back to win five of six games and found herself serving for the first set at 5-4. Two loose forehands, however, gave Swiatek the equalizing break.

The tiebreak wasn’t competitive. Bencic has made a career of taking the ball early, playing fast and aggressively. But in this instance, Swiatek was sharper. With Bencic serving at 2-4, Swiatek was standing inside the baseline when she sent a first serve back with an eye-opening forehand winner. Winning her third straight point, Swiatek converted her first set point.

In the second set, the two were even at 3-all when Swiatek made her move. A snappy forehand winner, followed by another faulty forehand from Bencic, gave her the decisive break.

wtatennis.com

So we went from this great performance to losing in the quarters 6/1 6/2 to Paolini for the first time. 

Guess this match took a lot out of Iga because she looked like she had nothing left for Poalini the next day. 

Not a surprise though given Iga has once again played the most matches this year (60+ for the 4th year in a row). 

This early loss might be a blessing in disguise, and allow her a bit more rest and preparation for WTA Finals in November.

Hang in there Iga, we're in the home stretch now. 

Go to the WTA Finals and play like you've got nothing to lose. 

Whatever happens it's been a really solid 2025 overall. 

Proud as always.

Iga Swiatek starts Wuhan debut with a convincing win

Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva both lost in Beijing’s fourth round and arrived at the Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open hoping to create some momentum heading into year-end championships.

On Tuesday, the No. 2-seeded Swiatek was the first player to advance to the third round, defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 6-1. She’ll meet the winner of Wednesday’s second-round match between No. 13 seed Belinda Bencic and Elise Mertens.

Andreeva, the No. 5 seed, later fell to Laura Siegemund
 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3. The grueling match required 3 hours and 1 minute.

Since reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in early July, Andreeva’s record is 5-4.

Swiatek dominated Bouzkova’s serve, winning 31 of 51 points and breaking her six times in a match that ran 79 minutes.

The 24-year-old from Poland is now 2-0 against Bouzkova, while the Czech Republic player is now 0-7 for the year against Top 10 players. Bouzkova defeated wild card Camila Osorio 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.

Swiatek was the top seed in Beijing, but fell to Emma Navarro 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.

She’s the No. 2 player in the PIF WTA Rankings and one of the game’s most consistent players. But even the six-time Grand Slam champion knows there’s a far better chance of losing than winning a title. She’s played in 17 events this year and come away with three crowns -- Wimbledon, Cincinnati and Seoul.

“There are many tournaments that you win [and] the next week you lose,” Swiatek told reporters in Wuhan. “So it is disappointing. It’s hard to be winning all the time and be consistent.

“It’s not something I would expect, but I just try to focus on developing and just working every day to play as well as possible.”

That long-term approach has worked nicely for Swiatek, who collected her 60th match-win for 2025. She’s the only woman this century to do it for four consecutive years. Martina Hingis (1997-2001) and Lindsay Davenport (1998-2001) were the last to manage that feat.

Swiatek has been lethally sharp in WTA 1000 events. Look at these numbers:

She’s won 31 consecutive opening matches; since 1990, only Hingis (40) has done better.

This was Swiatek’s 100th straight-sets win -- in 153 matches. Only Serena Williams (144) got there in fewer matches.

Since the format came into being, Swiatek’s straight-set win percentage is .654, second to Serena Williams’ .665.

“Every tournament I go to, I want to play my best game,” Swiatek said. “Sometimes I deliver; sometimes not but yeah, my expectation is to just do my best. Honestly, I don’t set goals like semifinal or whatever -- just really making it step by step.”

wtatennis.com