China Open: Swiatek, Samsonova advance to Final in Beijing
Iga Swiatek only dropped one set on her run to the final at the China Open where she will meet Liudmila Samsonova, a surprise finalist proving her offensive style a key to success.
The World No. 2 took on Coco Gauff in the semifinal. Leading up to this matchup, Gauff had only lost one match since Wimbledon and beat Swiatek in her incredible run throughout the summer.
Swiatek stayed true to her ability and controlled receiving games against her opponent. She earned eight break point opportunities en route to her 6-2, 6-3 victory over Gauff. Both players will meet again in Cancun for the WTA Finals as all eight singles spots have been determined.
Samsonova has utilized her offensive tactics to get through matchups. The first set against Elena Rybakina was tough as they both broke once and had to determine the set by a tiebreak.
The second set didn’t seperate much from the two players, but up 4-3, Samsonova converted a break point opportunity gifted to her by Rybakina. The Russian then closed out her final service game, dropping only six service points in the second set, to defeat the world No. 4 7-6, 6-3.
Swiatek and Samsonova have met twice, with Swiatek winning both games. They met earlier this year in Dubai, and Samsonova will look to win more than one game this time as she looks to win the China Open for the first time in her career.
