Iga Swiatek starts China Open with Straight-Sets Win
Iga Swiatek made a winning return to the China Open, beating home favourite Xinyu Gao 6-2, 6-3 in Beijing.
The Polish star needed just 87 minutes to get past the Chinese wildcard, breaking Gao five times on her way to a comfortable victory.
Swiatek, who won the China Open in 2023, took control early and never allowed Gao to settle. She opened up a 4-1 lead in the first set before closing it out 6-2.
The second set followed a similar pattern. Swiatek broke twice and kept her composure to finish the match in straight sets.
“For sure, it was a solid match,” Swiatek said afterwards. “Many long rallies. I’m happy about that because I had a chance to get the rhythm of the court, feel the ball. For sure a good start. I’m happy to be back here.”
This victory is Swiatek’s 37th of the 2026 season and puts her into the third round in Beijing.
It is also another opportunity for the former world No. 1 to find her best tennis again after a difficult period. She failed to win a Grand Slam title this season for the first time since 2021 and was knocked out of the US Open by Qinwen Zheng in the fourth round.
Her next opponent will be Donna Vekic, who defeated China’s Lin Zhu 6-4, 6-2. Swiatek has won all four of her previous meetings with Vekic.
