Iga Swiatek advanced to the round of 16 at the Wuhan Open on Wednesday, defeating her Polish compatriot Magdalena Frech 6-2, 6-1 in a second-round match at the WTA 1000 event.
The six-time major winner started slowly, dropping an early service game and falling behind 2-0 before finding her rhythm. Swiatek then won six consecutive games to take the first set, and continued her momentum by winning four straight games to start the second set. Frech managed to get on the board to make it 4-1, but could not stop the seventh seed from closing out the match.
Path to the title runs through tough company
Swiatek, who reached the quarterfinals of the recent China Open in Beijing, next faces either Ashlyn Krueger or Lanlana Tararudee. She is in the same quarter as top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, who was scheduled to face Ann Li later on Wednesday for a place in the last 16.
Other second-round results
Elsewhere in Wuhan, Jelena Ostapenko produced the day's most dramatic comeback, saving three match points to defeat second-seeded Jessica Pegula 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3 in Pegula's first match in more than a month. Fifth seed Elina Svitolina got past Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, while 170th-ranked Sonay Kartal upset ninth seed Belinda Bencic 6-0, 7-5.
The win keeps Swiatek's momentum going after her recent run to the Beijing quarterfinals. As one of the WTA's 1,000-level events, Wuhan carries significant ranking points and prize money, making every round valuable for players jockeying for position late in the season. With the top seeds falling around her, the Pole will fancy her chances of a deep run in a draw that is rapidly opening up.
Sources: TSN (Associated Press), Sportsnet (Associated Press)
The six-time major winner started slowly, dropping an early service game and falling behind 2-0 before finding her rhythm. Swiatek then won six consecutive games to take the first set, and continued her momentum by winning four straight games to start the second set. Frech managed to get on the board to make it 4-1, but could not stop the seventh seed from closing out the match.
Path to the title runs through tough company
Swiatek, who reached the quarterfinals of the recent China Open in Beijing, next faces either Ashlyn Krueger or Lanlana Tararudee. She is in the same quarter as top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, who was scheduled to face Ann Li later on Wednesday for a place in the last 16.
Other second-round results
Elsewhere in Wuhan, Jelena Ostapenko produced the day's most dramatic comeback, saving three match points to defeat second-seeded Jessica Pegula 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3 in Pegula's first match in more than a month. Fifth seed Elina Svitolina got past Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, while 170th-ranked Sonay Kartal upset ninth seed Belinda Bencic 6-0, 7-5.
The win keeps Swiatek's momentum going after her recent run to the Beijing quarterfinals. As one of the WTA's 1,000-level events, Wuhan carries significant ranking points and prize money, making every round valuable for players jockeying for position late in the season. With the top seeds falling around her, the Pole will fancy her chances of a deep run in a draw that is rapidly opening up.
Sources: TSN (Associated Press), Sportsnet (Associated Press)
