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Iga Swiatek dominated Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2 at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, while Elena Rybakina beat Amanda Anisimova. Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff debut Sunday.
Iga Swiatek (AP)
Iga Swiatek began her WTA Finals campaign with a dominant performance, defeating Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2 on the first day of the season-ending championships on Saturday.
The Polish second seed secured her 62nd victory of the year, leading the tour, and improved her head-to-head record against Keys to 7-2.
Swiatek is aiming for her second WTA Finals title in Riyadh, having won the trophy in Cancun two years ago.
Keys, competing in the tournament for the first time since 2016, is one of four Americans in the eight-player singles field in Riyadh this week.
“It feels great to be back in Riyadh, especially since we’ve been switching venues the last few years,” said Swiatek, who is participating in the Finals for the fifth consecutive season.
“Honestly, I’m happy about everything; all the things that I practised, I executed well today, balancing solid and aggressive play.
“I put in the work in Warsaw before the tournament, which definitely gives me confidence moving forward and developing as a player.”
Later at the King Saud University Indoor Arena, Elena Rybakina delivered a quick 6-3, 6-1 victory over fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova in just 57 minutes.
Rybakina was the last to qualify for the WTA Finals, earning her spot in Riyadh with a title run in Ningbo and a semi-final appearance in Tokyo over the past two weeks.
She showcased her serving prowess against Anisimova, hitting seven aces and losing just four points on her first serve.
“Amanda is a great player and a tough opponent, so I knew I needed to serve well. I’m very happy with my overall performance and hope to maintain this serving form,” said the Kazakhstani world number six.
Swiatek played nearly flawlessly to start the tournament on Saturday, securing her win in 61 minutes.
Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, hadn’t competed in over two months since her first-round loss at the US Open, and she showed some rust early on, getting broken at love in the opening game.
Swiatek dominated the initial stages, winning 20 of the first 23 points to take a 5-0 lead, with precise groundstrokes from both wings.
Keys managed to hold serve in the sixth game, but Swiatek still wrapped up the first set in just 23 minutes.
The second set saw both players exchanging breaks early on, but Swiatek regained control and advanced to a 5-2 lead.
Keys saved two match points on Swiatek’s serve as the Pole showed brief signs of nervousness, but Swiatek ultimately prevailed, overcoming a pair of break points to secure a decisive victory.
Swiatek now leads the Serena Williams Group, with Rybakina in second place ahead of Anisimova and Keys.
Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Coco Gauff headline the Stefanie Graf Group and will start their campaigns in Riyadh on Sunday against Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula, respectively.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
November 02, 2025, 08:40 IST
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