Iga Swiatek defeated Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 6-2 in the China Open final to capture her 16th career title and fifth this season.
Making her debut appearance at Beijing, Swiatek triumphed over Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first round, followed by a win against Varvara Gracheva in the second round. Moving forward with unwavering determination, she outplayed Magda Linette in the third round and faced a challenge against Caroline Garcia in the quarterfinals, the only player to force her to drop a set. Undeterred, Swiatek defeated Coco Gauff in an almost perfect semifinal showing. In a fitting finale, she dominated Samsonova, never allowing a break point against her and converting all four she earned.
The world No.2 Swiatek has now won 38 of her last 40 matches against players outside the Top 20 and increased her head-to-head record against Samsonova to 3-0. Moreover, she’s a Tour leader in match wins with 63 so far in 2023.
The China Open title makes Swiatek the only player to win six or more WTA 1000 titles before the age of 23, surpassing Caroline Wozniacki’s previous record of five. In addition, the Pole has become the first player since Serena Williams in 2014-2015 to win 5+ WTA titles in back-to-back seasons.
