Photographs: Getty Images, WTA
Streaking Swiatek Secures Stuttgart Title
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is playing the best tennis of her young career right now and there’s no sign of slowing down.
On Sunday, the 20-year-old was far too good for world No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final.
The 6-2, 6-2 victory marked a sensational fourth title run in as many appearances for the Pole who now extends her career-high match win streak to 23.
The one hour and 24-minute victory over the No. 3 seed was enough for Swiatek’s seventh career WTA singles title.
Young champions are certainly no stranger to the women’s game. Think Hingis, Seles and the Williams sisters to name a few. Swiatek is no exception.
The Streak
The now 23 match win streak kicked into gear with her title run at the WTA 1000 event in Doha in late February and the Polish wunderkind has not looked back since.
Doha, the Sunshine Double sweep of Indian Wells and Miami and the two scalps she claimed to propel Poland into the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup made for 19-straight wins prior to this week.
It was no cakewalk for Swiatek in Stuggart though. Liudmila Samsonova made her earn her trip to the final, ending the 2020 French Open champion’s run of 28 sets won without loss.
But the mental fortitude of the Pole showed out, coming through a three-hour marathon to set up the meeting with Sabalenka that would earn her yet another title.
"I’m pretty proud of myself and pretty proud of my team because basically after yesterday’s match,” Swiatek said post-match.
“It wasn’t easy to reset physically and mentally and be ready for today."
Swiatek now becomes the first player to 30 match wins on the season (30-3) and must be considered a prohibitive favourite for next month’s French Open.
Qualifier Potapova Claims Maiden WTA Crown in Istanbul
Anastasia Potapova has secured the first WTA title of her career on Sunday, charging through No. 3 seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and 23 minutes.
It was Kudermetova who gained the early ascendancy in the final of the TEB BNP Paribas Tennis Championship but from 1-3 down it was all Potapova – the Russian going on to win 11 of the last 12 games.
Potapova, like Swiatek, promised plenty when she arrived on the WTA tour as a 17-year-old. She reached her first two tour finals in just her third and fourth WTA main draw appearances.
Since then, inconsistency and injury have plagued the now 21-year-old but her victory in Istanbul perhaps signals a turning point.
Potapova’s semi-final and final both offered a microcosm of sorts of her young career with inconsistent shot making putting her behind the behind the eight ball on both occasions.
Crucially though, the 2016 Wimbledon Girls’ champion found her range and her first WTA singles title.
The Russian becomes the second qualifier to win a WTA title in 2022 following Tatjana Maria's title run in Bogota two weeks ago.
Potapova’s ranking sat at world No. 122 prior to this past week but her title run will deliver her safely back inside the top 100 to No. 78.