Top-Ranked Iga Swiatek Beats Vekic to Win San Diego Title

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates with the trophy after defeating Donna Vekic of Czech Republic in the women's singles final during the San Diego Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at on October 16, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates with the trophy after defeating Donna Vekic of Czech Republic in the women's singles final during the San Diego Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at on October 16, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Top-Ranked Iga Swiatek Beats Vekic to Win San Diego Title

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates with the trophy after defeating Donna Vekic of Czech Republic in the women's singles final during the San Diego Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at on October 16, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates with the trophy after defeating Donna Vekic of Czech Republic in the women's singles final during the San Diego Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at on October 16, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek overcame a challenge from qualifier Donna Vekic on Sunday to win the San Diego Open title with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 victory.

Swiatek earned her tour-leading 64th victory of the season heading into the WTA Finals that begin Friday in Fort Worth, Texas. The event features the tour’s top eight singles and doubles teams.

The 21-year-old won the French Open and US Open earlier this year.

“I’ve worked hard with my coach and my psychologist to keep focused on those moments that make it easier to close the match,” Swiatek said. “I just wanted to be proactive in making my shots.”

Speaking in her native Polish, Swiatek thanked the vocal Polish contingent that exhorted her with chants of “Iga! Iga!”

“I wanted to be the one who hit the last ball in, use my patience more and not think too much,” said Swiatek, who ascended to world No. 1 some seven months ago following the surprise retirement of Australia’s Ash Barty.

Swiatek was awarded a winner’s check of $116,340 along with a yellow surfboard.

After Vekic won the second set, Swiatek left no doubt about her dominance in the final set with her array of topspin cross-court forehands and looping shots that flustered her tiring opponent.

“I managed to win the second set, but in the third I just hit the Iga wall,” said Vekic, who came into the first-year WTA event as an unseeded qualifier, winning seven matches in eight days.

“She played out of this world,” the Croatian added. “She showed why she’s definitely the best player in the world right now.”

An unlikely finalist, Vekic, ranked 77th, reached the finals only a few hours before her match with Swiatek, claiming a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (2) semifinal win over unseeded Danielle Collins of the US.

Spread over two days due to Saturday night’s two lengthy rain delays, the Vekic-Collins match totaled three hours, including Sunday’s 32-minute finish. Collins re-started with a 4-2 edge in the third set, but Vekic battled back to earn the finals berth.



Ostapenko Beats Swiatek Again and Reaches Stuttgart Semifinals with Sabalenka

 Lithuania's Jelena Ostapenko celebrates victory against against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their women's singles quarterfinal tennis match at the WTA tour in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)
Lithuania's Jelena Ostapenko celebrates victory against against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their women's singles quarterfinal tennis match at the WTA tour in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)
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Ostapenko Beats Swiatek Again and Reaches Stuttgart Semifinals with Sabalenka

 Lithuania's Jelena Ostapenko celebrates victory against against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their women's singles quarterfinal tennis match at the WTA tour in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)
Lithuania's Jelena Ostapenko celebrates victory against against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their women's singles quarterfinal tennis match at the WTA tour in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)

Jelena Ostapenko continued her dominance over Iga Swiatek by beating the world No. 2 on her favorite surface.

Ostapenko won 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the clay-court Porsche Grand Prix on Saturday to improve her head-to-head record against the four-time French Open champion to 6-0.

“Every time I step on the court with her it’s another battle, I’m ready for it,” said Ostapenko, the 2017 champion at Roland Garros. “Even if I don’t feel great on the day, I will just fight and leave it all on the court.”

The Latvian player, ranked No. 24, previously beat Swiatek four times on hard-courts and once on grass.

“I tried to be aggressive today and take time away from her because when she has time, she's playing very well,” Ostapenko said.

In the semifinals, she will play Ekaterina Alexandrova, who ousted third-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-4.

No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka finally played her first match in Stuttgart and beat former doubles partner Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-1.

Sabalenka got a bye through the first round and a walkover in the second.

“Never happened before that I play the first match on Saturday,” she said.

She will next face No. 6 Jasmine Paolini, who knocked off No. 4 Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-3 for the first time in three career meetings.

Paolini earned her first top-10 win of the year.

Sabalenka leads Paolini 4-2 on tour.