Iga Świątek Wins Korea Open Title

Iga Świątek won the Korea Open title, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 in the final. The win was especially pertinent for Świątek because her father, Tomasz, had failed to win a medal with the Polish rowing team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

What happened at the Korea Open?

The tournament was affected by rain, with doubles matches moved indoors as early as Tuesday. Świątek didn't play her first-round match until Thursday because of the weather. She baked one of her signature bagels (6-0) in the opener and took the second set 6-3 in a straightforward win against Barbora Krejčíková.

Why it matters for Iga Świątek

The win closes the gap on Aryna Sabalenka in the race to be the year-end world No. 1, with Świątek trailing by 1,577 points. Świątek's 500-point tally from Seoul means she has the opportunity to close that to 577 as Sabalenka is not entered for the China Open. Speaking on court after the win, Świątek said: “I’m happy that I could win here because of the family history.

What comes next for Iga Świątek?

Świątek will look to continue her good form at the China Open, a WTA 1,000 event, starting this week. The Czech duo of Kateřina Siniaková and Barbora Krejčíková ended an exhausting week on Sunday by winning the doubles title. Siniaková and Krejčíková defeated America’s Caty McNally and Maya Joint of Australia 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the doubles final. Świątek's win was a dramatic one, coming from behind to defeat Alexandrova in the final. The Korea Open was affected by rain, with matches delayed and moved indoors. Świątek's father, Tomasz, was a rower who competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.