Iga Swiatek has won her fourth straight title of the season, beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-2 in the Stuttgart Open final.
The 2020 French Open champion, who beat Emma Raducanu at the quarter-final stage of the WTA tournament, recorded her 23rd straight match win in 84 minutes against the world No. 4.
Swiatek hit 17 winners compared to Sabalenka’s 13 and won 77 per cent of her first serve points. She is now the first player to reach 30 match wins this season and has only lost three matches all year.
“The last couple of days have been tough, especially after yesterday’s match [a three-set win over Lumilla Samsonova],” the 20-year-old said afterwards.
“Half of my team is at home – they needed some time off from me! – but they were available for any call I wanted to have so thank you for staying with me.
“Thank you to my Dad who finally decided that he is going to come with me to tournaments.”
Swiatek saved a break point in the opening game before going a break up in the very next game.
Sabalenka, who reached the Stuttgart semi-finals in 2021, double faulted on Swiatek’s first set point opportunity to gift the Pole the lead.
The Belarusian held her serve from break point down at 1-1 in the second set, but Swiatek’s groundstrokes were too much for Sabalenka and she grabbed the last four games to finish off the final.
