Iga Świątek Stages Dramatic Comeback to Reach China Open

Iga Świątek pulled off a stunning comeback to keep her China Open campaign alive, saving a match point before defeating Croatia's Donna Vekic in a three-set thriller on Monday, October 5, 2026. The Polish star, seeded eighth, was down 2-5 in the second set before mounting a furious rally to win 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2 and advance to the last 16 in Beijing.

Frustration was evident early for the six-time Grand Slam champion. Vekic secured an early break and controlled the first set. That dominance continued into the second, where she raced to a 5-2 lead and stood one game from victory. With her back against the wall, Świątek's game clicked. She won four consecutive games to lead 6-5. After Vekic held to force a tie-break, Świątek was flawless, sweeping all seven points to level the match. She carried that momentum into the decider, winning the final five games to seal the win in just over two hours. "I was just angry, wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn't working," Świątek said on court. She later told reporters that easing the pressure helped, noting, "Sometimes if you care a bit less because you're… probably going to lose, it also helps you a bit."

The victory sets up a fourth-round clash with American Iva Jovic, the tournament's tenth seed, on Tuesday, October 7. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two players. Jovic also handled a tricky path, rallying from a set down in her second-round match and then overcoming a 2-5 deficit in the second set of her third-round win over Kamilla Rakhimova. Świątek enters the match as the favorite, but Jovic's recent form and resilience present a clear challenge on the hard courts of the National Tennis Center.

Świątek was not the only player tested. Home favorite Zheng Qinwen also endured a marathon, beating Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-5 in her third consecutive three-set match of the tournament. The Chinese player, who has spent over five hours on court already, voiced frustration with crowd movement during points but praised her supporters. Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova also progressed, setting up a last-16 match against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The biggest shock of the tournament so far remains the second-round exit of top seed Elena Rybakina, who was defeated by world number 118 Alina Charaeva.

Her next opponent, Iva Jovic, is a first-time matchup. The China Open has seen multiple upsets, with top seed Elena Rybakina already eliminated.