WTA finals: Iga Swiatek beats Jessica Pegula, reclaims world number 1 ranking

Poland's Iga Swiatek showcased her exceptional tennis prowess as she defeated Jessica Pegula to secure victory in the WTA Finals, simultaneously regaining her status as the world's top-ranked player.

In a commanding performance, second-seed Swiatek controlled the match from the very beginning, delivering a resounding 6-1, 6-0 triumph in a mere 59 minutes.

This victory marks Swiatek's 17th career win, cementing her position as a four-time major singles champion and reaffirming her claim to the number one spot for a second consecutive year.

After the win, an exuberant Swiatek expressed her gratitude, saying, "The team that's been with me the whole season, we had many ups and downs. This is for sure an up. We will for sure have many more if we keep working like that," reported AFP.

Swiatek only conceded 20 games throughout the entire tournament, setting a new record.

Jessica Pegula acknowledged her defeat with grace and cited her error-strewn performance as a contributing factor, stating, "It just was one of those days where I felt like I was going for too much. And she was just playing super solid."

The 22-year-old Polish sensation had previously outplayed the outgoing world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, in the semi-finals. Sabalenka had assumed the top ranking from Swiatek after the US Open in September.

Although Pegula had triumphed over Swiatek in their previous encounter in Montreal in August, she was outmatched in Monday's final. Despite the delay caused by wet weather that postponed the match by 24 hours, Swiatek exhibited superior performance across all aspects of the game.

Swiatek dominated on serve, deploying groundstrokes that left Pegula struggling to respond. On the other hand, Pegula struggled on serve and faced five breaks, while committing 23 unforced errors compared to Swiatek's six.

Swiatek seized control early in the match, breaking Pegula's serve in the fourth game to lead 3-1 before securing the first set. Her momentum carried into the second set, where she broke Pegula twice in the initial three games and held her own serve confidently for a 4-0 lead.

Although Pegula eventually earned her first break point on Swiatek's serve, the Polish player swiftly regained her composure, claiming victory with an emphatic forehand winner. Swiatek maintained her dominance in the match, further solidifying her status as one of the world's leading tennis players.