Displaying the resourcefulness and resilience you might expect from the World No.1, Iga Swiatek came back to defeat Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to Sunday’s final at the San Diego Open.
Swiatek will meet the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between Danielle Collins and qualifier Donna Vekic.
Swiatek won her 63rd match of the 2022 season, equaling the 2016 total of Angelique Kerber for the most Hologic WTA Tour victories in the past six years. Swiatek, who defeated Pegula for the fourth time this year, will become the fourth woman to finish the year with more than 10,000 points in the WTA Tour rankings, after Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.
Swiatek, 21, is now 23-1 in the United States this season.
There were three breaks of serve in the first set and a continuous shifting of momentum. After back-to-back breaks, Pegula faced a third but saved two break points and leveled the match at 4-all when Swiatek missed a forehand wide.
In the next game, with Swiatek facing a break point, she double-faulted off the top of the net and Pegula went on to serve out the first set, prevailing on another Swiatek forehand that sailed wide.
After play was suspended for more than an hour because of rain, Swiatek came out firing and took a 3-0 lead, an advantage she never relinquished. She converted her second set point with a ringing forehand that clipped the line -- and the match headed into the decisive third set.
Serving at 2-all in the third, Swiatek saved all three break points against her -- and then broke Pegula to take a 4-2 lead. A tired-looking forehand into the net from Pegula sent Swiatek into her ninth final of the year.
Swiatek will meet the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between Danielle Collins and qualifier Donna Vekic.
Swiatek won her 63rd match of the 2022 season, equaling the 2016 total of Angelique Kerber for the most Hologic WTA Tour victories in the past six years. Swiatek, who defeated Pegula for the fourth time this year, will become the fourth woman to finish the year with more than 10,000 points in the WTA Tour rankings, after Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.
Swiatek, 21, is now 23-1 in the United States this season.
There were three breaks of serve in the first set and a continuous shifting of momentum. After back-to-back breaks, Pegula faced a third but saved two break points and leveled the match at 4-all when Swiatek missed a forehand wide.
In the next game, with Swiatek facing a break point, she double-faulted off the top of the net and Pegula went on to serve out the first set, prevailing on another Swiatek forehand that sailed wide.
After play was suspended for more than an hour because of rain, Swiatek came out firing and took a 3-0 lead, an advantage she never relinquished. She converted her second set point with a ringing forehand that clipped the line -- and the match headed into the decisive third set.
Serving at 2-all in the third, Swiatek saved all three break points against her -- and then broke Pegula to take a 4-2 lead. A tired-looking forehand into the net from Pegula sent Swiatek into her ninth final of the year.
Make that 63 wins for the year (now tied with Angie Kerber from 2016). 9th final, 41st hard court win. And I believe her 10th comeback from a set down this season.
Also the first time she has reached back to back finals in back to back weeks.
Simply Iga Swiatek living up and continually cementing her World #1 status. Astounding.
This is the kind of year you usually see from greats like Roger Federer, Rafa, or Serena. To have Iga accomplishing this at just 21 is extraordinary.
And the fact that she's the first player from Poland to write herself into the tennis history books just makes it all the sweeter.
My Polish pride has been soaring all year and it feels wonderful.
These are moments we never expected, but ones that so many Polish sports and tennis fans alike have been waiting and hoping all their lives to see.
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