Swiatek Eliminated from WTA Finals After Krejcikova's Win

Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, has been eliminated from the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia following a victory by Barbora Krejcikova, who secured her semi-final spot after defeating Coco Gauff.

Swiatek, the second seed from Poland, had to rely on Gauff's performance to progress after her dominant 6-1 6-0 win over Russia's Daria Kasatkina in her final group match. Despite her strong performance, Swiatek's hopes were dashed as Krejcikova triumphed 7-5 6-4 over Gauff, clinching a place in the knockout round. Krejcikova saved four break points in the decisive game before serving out the match to top the Orange Group.

The win not only propelled Krejcikova into the semi-finals but also set up a meeting with Chinese seventh seed Zheng Qinwen. Krejcikova's victory meant Swiatek, who has been a dominant force in women's tennis, would exit the tournament at the group stage for the first time since 2021.

Swiatek, who began the season with impressive victories in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome, and the French Open, has struggled in the second half of the year, allowing Aryna Sabalenka to overtake her at the top of the rankings.

In an attempt to regain form, Swiatek made a coaching change, bringing in Wim Fissette to replace Tomasz Wiktorowski ahead of the WTA Finals. Her focus has been on improving her service game and adapting her game for faster surfaces.

However, Swiatek struggled with Gauff on the fast indoor court at the King Saud University Arena, suffering a straight-set defeat that ultimately cost her a spot in the knockout rounds. Despite the disappointment, Swiatek found positives in her dominant win over Kasatkina. “I was hitting the ball really well and picking the right shots to play faster,” Swiatek said after her match.

With Swiatek out, Krejcikova continues her impressive run, leaving the defending champion's title defense unfinished.