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Poland’s Iga Swiatek ended a masterful WTA Finals run with a crushing victory over the USA’s Jessica Pegula in the Championship match to regain her status as world number one.
The French Open champion had not dropped a set en route to the final and did not rest on her laurels against fifth seed Pegula, thrashing the American 6-1 6-0 in Cancun.
“Coming back to world number one, it’s a dream come true, for sure,” the 22-year-old said after hoisting the trophy aloft. “I would say I wasn’t expecting that right now, this season. I was hoping that maybe next year is going to be my year, but it seems like you know, just working hard and focusing on the right things at the end worked. So I’m really happy.”
Despite successfully defending her Roland-Garros title, Swiatek’s fourth-round exits at the Australian Open and US Open – as well as a Wimbledon quarterfinal elimination – had seen the Pole relinquish her status as the world’s best.
However, Swiatek swept aside the competition in the group phase, seeing off Coco Gauff, Marketa Vondrousova and Ons Jabeur to sail into the semi-finals, where she came face-to-face with then-world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
The 22-year-old’s powers did not wane in a comprehensive beating of the Belarusian, and after Pegula enjoyed an opening hold to 15 in Monday’s delayed final, the Swiatek onslaught began.
The American only won three more points on serve in the opening set as Swiatek stormed to the double break, and the French Open champion was unwavering during a thoroughly dominant second set, winning 78% of points behind her second serve.
Swiatek’s victory guaranteed the 22-year-old the year-end number one ranking for the second time in a row, while she became the first player since Serena Williams in 2012 to win the WTA Finals without dropping a set.
In addition, no champion since Elina Svitolina in 2018 managed to win the WTA Finals with a 100% success rate throughout the competition, while a total of 20 games dropped fewest on record since the round-robin format came into effect again in 2003.
