Iga Swiatek wins fifth title of 2023 at China Open with win over Liudmila Samsonova in Beijing
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Updated 08/10/2023 at 15:23 GMT
Iga Swiatek moved within 465 points of her world No. 1 rival Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday as the race to end the year at the top of the rankings continues. The Polish 2023 French Open champion beat Liudmila Samsonova at the China Open in Beijing, winning in straight sets. Swiatek has now won five titles this season as she looks to regain the spot she held for so long at the head of the women's game.
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Iga Swiatek won her fifth title of the season with a 6-2 6-2 victory against Liudmila Samsonova in the final of the China Open on Sunday.
The win in Beijing moved Swiatek out on her own with the most tour trophies on the WTA tour this year, at five.
With it being the second season in a row the Pole has won that many crowns, it is the first time any player since Serena Williams has managed the feat, with the American doing so both in 2014 and 2015.
Swiatek currently trails Aryna Sabalenka in the world rankings, but in 2023 she can boast a Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros, wins in Doha and Stuttgart, and at her home event in Warsaw.
Swiatek’s 16th career title was won in her seventh final of the season, and she maintains a perfect record against Samsonova, who trails her 3-0 on their head-to-head.
The 24-year-old Samsonova had defeated Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals, and her success in China will move her back into the top 20 of the rankings.
Swiatek defeated US Open Coco Gauff in the semi-final, and was in equally impressive form in the final.
With the first five games going with service, a double-fault from Samsonova allowed Swiatek to break, who committed no unforced errors in the first set in order to keep the pressure on, breaking once more.
Swiatek again demonstrated the power and accuracy of her serve as she had done against Gauff, breaking her opponent for a 3-1 lead in the second set, moving 4-1 clear as she held her serve in the next.
And it took just 69 minutes for Swiatek to complete her victory, which came when Samsonova aimed a drop shot into the net.
Speaking after her win, an emotional Swiatek said: "Well, for sure you could feel that we are playing a final because it was a little bit tense, I would say.
"But I'm happy that I kind of adjusted to what Liudmila was playing. I wanted to really be consistent with what I wanted to do no matter how she's doing."
Ahead of the season-ending WTA Finals, Swiatek is only 465 points behind Sabalenka in the world rankings as the pair battle for top spot.
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