Swiatek has now won 40 of her past 41 sets and the victory extended her winning streak to 27 matches, the fourth longest of the century. Serena Williams won 27 consecutive matches from the 2014 WTA Finals through 2015 Madrid.
With wins in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami, Swiatek is the first player since Simona Halep in 2017 to make four WTA 1000 finals in a single season. Swiatek has lost just 17 games en route to the Rome final. In the past 25 years at the Foro Italico, only Williams (10), Kim Clijsters (13) and Martina Hingis (15) have lost fewer.
"At these tournaments where we play day after day, we don't really get time to celebrate," Swiatek said. "Right after we finish the previous match, we have to think about the next one. It's pretty tough. But I know that after I'm going to be really proud of myself. For sure I'm going to have time to think about what I did.
"But, yeah, I mean, I'm just constantly surprising myself that I can do better and better. I feel like I actually can believe now that the sky's the limit. That's the fun part, for sure."
Swiatek lost her first meeting against Sabalenka last fall at the WTA Finals but has bounced back to win their next three. The Pole posted straight-set victories over Sabalenka on her way to two of her four titles this season, first in the semifinals of Doha and then in the final of Stuttgart.
Under the beaming sun on Court Centrale, Swiatek put in her best performance of the week to suffocate Sabalenka from the baseline. Swiatek set the tone by breaking Sabalenka in her first two service games to build a 3-1 lead.
Swiatek kept her targets big and consistently tested Sabalenka's rally tolerance. In the end, Sabalenka misfired on 16 unforced errors in the opening set, while striking just three winners. Swiatek, who kept a clean sheet with five winners to six unforced errors, pocketed the opening set in just 31 minutes.
Swiatek jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Sabalenka snapped her run of seven games to hold. Down 4-1, Sabalenka received a medical timeout during the changeover. Swiatek held on the resumption and closed out the win by breaking Sabalenka for the sixth time on the day. Swiatek finished the match with 15 winners and 15 unforced errors. Sabalenka hit eight winners to 31 unforced errors.
"I'm pretty happy that I learned the lessons on previous matches," Swiatek said. "On previous matches, I felt like I'm kind of letting my opponents come back to the match a little bit. This time I wanted to put pressure on my opponent from the beginning till the end. I think Aryna was under pressure, so it really helped me and that was my tactics."
Swiatek is now 30-0 at WTA 1000s when she wins the first set. She is 6-1 in 2022 against Top 10 opponents, having won six straight. Her sole loss came to former No.1 Ashleigh Barty in the Adelaide semifinals.
wtatennis.com
Well, that was a lot more lopsided than I was expecting. The way Sabalenka was talking I really thought she would come in with a real plan to beat Iga.
But it turned out to be Madrid and Stuttgart all over again. I'll admit I didn't watch any of Sabalenka's matches in Rome, but from everything I heard and read as well as score wise she was playing really well. So this performance was disappointingly surprising.
Starting to think Sabalenka is developing a bit an Iga Swiatek problem as in she has really gotten into her head (not that I can blame her) most the players on tour can't seem to solve Iga's game either right now.
That's not to say that Iga wasn't brilliant because she was, as I said in my post a day prior Iga isn't intimidated or bullied by Sabalenka's power she just absorbs it and turns it around on Sabalenka. And pretty much sufficates her with the return of serve (as she has been doing with all of her opponent this year).
Iga will next face an opponent who has been equally impressive on tour in terms of wins this year last week's Madrid Open Champion Ons Jabeur who Iga last faced in 2021 and has 2 wins against her on hard court and grass.
Ons isn't like any other player out there she doesn't just use power (though she has plenty of it at her disposal), but it's the variety, change is speed, slices and of course the world famous drop shot which she can hit from seemingly anywhere that is uniquely unmatched and gives her opponents plenty of headaches.
This will definitely not be a Karolina Pliskova scenario of last year where Iga served her a double bagel.
Jabeur'ss variety will be tough to deal with and not get frustrated by. A completely different challenge to anyone Iga has faced this tournament.
For a while it looked like Kasatkina would be Iga's next opponent but Jabeur saved match points and won in 3 sets.
At first I thought facing Kasatkina would be easier for Iga given they've played 3 times this year and Iga has won all 3 so it would be great confidence wise.
But they've never played on clay where Kasatkina's variety shines as well and would undoubtedly have been a frustrating foe as well.
So the scenario looks as follows: Ons Jabeur the Madrid Champion vs Rome defending Champion a 27 match win streak vs an 11 match win streak 21 matches won when winning the first set vs 30 . Iga's is going for her 4th consecutive WTA 1000's title (5th this season) vs Ons 2nd.
This final is going to be the equivalent of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. And since there can only be one winner something will have to give.
And on paper Iga has the advantage having spent less time on court and also proving that she has no problem with long grueling matches (as she showed in her 3 hour battle with Samsonova in Stuttgart).
Jabeur's variety and drop shot although the best in world world can break down on her when she over uses it in stressful situations.
Then there's the concentration factor Iga has shown incredible mental prowess all year and being pretty ruthless in terms of not letting go of a lead once she grabs it.
Jabeur on the other hand still has a tendency to lose her concentration in sets allowing her opponents back in.
Iga will also be trying to achieve something she has not yet succeeded at in her young career, defend a title she won a year prior.
She will have to serve well as Jabeur is a talented returner herself. Iga does have the fascinating ability to play her highest level in finals. It's like a switch that flips on and brings out her best.
Iga has also not lost a set where as Jabaur had to battle in her last 2 to get where she is.
Both have shown great fight when losing a set and both have impressive records in 3 setters. If both players play well this final could turn into a classic & a physical and mental battle of wills.
And I am beyond excited for it.
Jazda Iga show everyone once again exactly why your #1 ranking was thoroughly deserved.
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