Sabalenka through to WTA Finals decider after defeating world number one Swiatek

Swiatek
had
not
lost
a
set
during
her
week
in
Fort
Worth
entering
the
contest,
earning
her
spot
in
the
semi-final
after
straight-sets
wins
against
Coco
Gauff,
Caroline
Garcia
and
Daria
Kasatkina.

Needing
to
start
well
to
give
herself
a
chance
against
the
in-form
Polish
star,
Sabalenka
did
just
that,
breaking
Swiatek
in
her
first
service
game.

Swiatek
broke
back
instantly,
but
she
had
no
response
when
the
BelaruSsian
secured
two
more
breaks
of
serve
in
the
opening
frame
to
wrap
it
up
in
40
minutes.

After
winning
only
43
per
cent
(12-of-28)
of
her
service
points
in
the
first
set,
Swiatek
seemed
to
figure
things
out
in
the
second,
raising
that
number
to
61
per
cent
(17-of-28)
to
win
the
first
four
games
and
run
away
with
it
and
send
the
match
to
a
decider.

But
Swiatek’s
uncharacteristic
errors
came
back
to
bite
her,
committing
two
double
faults
in
each
of
the
three
sets,
and
after
posting
a
combined
21
winners
with
17
unforced
errors
in
the
first
two
frames,
she
mustered
only
five
winners
with
nine
unforced
errors
in
the
last.

Sabalenka
rattled
off
five
consecutive
games
to
close
out
the
match,
utilising
her
imposing
serve
to
get
the
job
done,
serving
12
aces
to
Swiatek’s
one.

She
will
now
face
Caroline
Garcia
in
the
final
after
the
Frenchwoman
proved
too
strong
for
Maria
Sakkari
in
a
6-3
6-2
victory
earlier
in
the
day.

ACES/DOUBLE
FAULTS

Sabalenka
–
12/9

Swiatek
–
1/6

WINNERS/UNFORCED
ERRORS

Sabalenka
–
23/19

Swiatek
–
26/26

BREAK
POINTS
WON

Sabalenka
–
6/13

Swiatek
–
4/10