Swiatek and Rybakina Cruise to Easy Wins at WTA Finals Opener in Riyadh
Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina made strong starts at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, both earning quick and convincing wins on the opening day.
Wimbledon champion Swiatek began her bid for a second WTA Finals title by brushing aside Australian Open winner Madison Keys 6-1, 6-2 in just 61 minutes.
In the other match of the Serena Williams Group, Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was equally dominant, defeating American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-1 in only 57 minutes.
The season-ending tournament features the top eight singles players and doubles pairs in the world, competing for a share of £12 million ($15.5 million) in prize money.
Swiatek in Control from Start to Finish
Swiatek, the 2023 champion, looked sharp from the opening game as Keys struggled with errors. The American, playing her first match since a first-round exit at the US Open in August, double-faulted twice to lose her first service game.
By the time Keys managed to hold serve, she was already 5-0 down and had produced only one winner against 15 unforced errors in the first set.
Swiatek briefly lost focus early in the second set, allowing Keys a short comeback, but the Polish star quickly regained control. Another series of double faults from Keys helped Swiatek close out the match comfortably.
Afterwards, Swiatek said:
“Everything pleased me today. I managed to play with the right balance between being solid and aggressive.”
Rybakina’s Serve Too Strong for Anisimova
Rybakina was in fine form, firing seven aces and winning 87% of her first-serve points in a near-flawless performance. The 2022 Wimbledon winner converted four of five break points to secure her seventh top-10 win of the season, matching her personal best for a single year.
“I knew I had to serve well,” Rybakina said. “I’m happy with how I played and hope to keep serving like this all week.”
Rybakina entered the Finals in top form, having won the Ningbo Open in October.
Doubles Action
In the doubles event, Italy’s top seeds Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani defeated American Asia Muhammad and Dutch player Demi Schuurs 6-3, 6-3.
How the WTA Finals Work
The tournament uses a round-robin format, with two groups of four players. Each win earns three points, and the top two from each group progress to the semi-finals.
The Stefanie Graf Group, which begins on Sunday, includes top seed Aryna Sabalenka, French Open champion Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Jasmine Paolini.
All matches are played on hard courts at the King Saud University Indoor Arena in Riyadh, with the final scheduled for Sunday, 8 November.
