Iga Swiatek pulled off an incredible comeback at the Korea Open on Sunday, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 in a grueling 2-hour, 41-minute WTA Tour final. Despite lagging behind in almost every stat, the top-seeded Polish star seized the key moments to claim her third title of the season and the 25th of her career. Swiatek now boasts a stellar 25-5 record in WTA finals.
During the trophy ceremony, Swiatek praised her opponent. “First of all, I want to congratulate Ekaterina for an amazing week and an amazing final,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t know how I won it because you were playing great, and I just tried to stay alive. Hopefully we’re going to play more finals because it’s always tough against you, but it’s also entertaining.”
Alexandrova, the No. 2 seed and underdog, dominated the first set in just 30 minutes. She broke Swiatek right away in the opening game and cruised to a 6-1 win, putting the world No. 1 on the ropes early.
Swiatek bounced back strong in the second set, breaking Alexandrova immediately to even the momentum. But Alexandrova fired right back with a break of her own. The players traded holds from there until a tense tiebreak, where Swiatek finally took charge. The seven-time Grand Slam champion raced to a 3-0 lead, pushed it to 5-2, and sealed the 7-3 victory to force a third set.
The decider stayed tight. Swiatek stumbled early with three double faults in one game, handing Alexandrova a break and a 2-1 edge. But the 23-year-old recovered quickly, breaking back to tie it at 3-3 and then grabbing the lead for only the second time all match.
As pressure mounted, Swiatek stayed composed. Serving to stay alive at 5-6, Alexandrova faced the heat. On her second match point, Swiatek unleashed a stunning cross-court forehand winner to clinch the Korea Open title and complete her dramatic turnaround.
In doubles action, Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova teamed up for a special win that marked a big milestone. The Czech duo reclaimed the top spot in WTA doubles rankings for Siniakova, who now holds the No. 1 position for 161 career weeks—just two behind Cara Black for third all-time.
This victory is Siniakova’s 31st WTA doubles title and her third this season. She previously triumphed at the Australian Open and the WTA 1000 event in Dubai alongside regular partner Taylor Townsend—who, funnily enough, is the player Siniakova now replaces at No. 1.
For Krejcikova, it’s her 20th career WTA doubles title and her first of 2025. Their last joint win came in Prague back in 2024.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
