Iga Swiatek Wins All-Polish Battle In Straight Sets To Reach R16 At Wuhan Open | Tennis News

Last Updated:October 14, 2026, 11:44 IST

Swiatek posted her 40th victory of the season in one hour and 42 minutes and remains on course for a potential quarter-final showdown with top seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Iga Swiatek wins all-Polish battle at Wuhan Open. (Picture Credit: AFP)

Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek launched her Wuhan Open campaign by triumphing 6-2, 6-1 in an all-Polish battle against lucky loser Magdalena Frech on Wednesday.

Swiatek posted her 40th victory of the season in one hour and 42 minutes and remains on course for a potential quarter-final showdown with top seed and three-time Wuhan winner Aryna Sabalenka.

“We know each other pretty well, so I just wanted to focus on being consistent and playing as good as possible,” Swiatek, the seventh seed, said of Frech.

“I know she is running to every ball always and sometimes using the power of the opponent, so I wanted to not play too crazy but play solid and I’m happy that I did that,” said Swiatek, who is chasing a qualification spot for the year-end WTA Finals.

Despite the lopsided scoreline the opening set was tight, lasting over an hour and requiring Swiatek to erase a 0-2 deficit and save seven of eight break points before she finally took the lead on her fourth set point.

Upping the pressure with her relentless forehand, Swiatek claimed a 10th game in a row to build a 4-0 advantage in the second set.

The former world number one briefly lost momentum, getting broken by Frech, but recovered to advance to the round of 16, where she awaits one of two lucky losers, Lanlana Tararudee or Ashlyn Krueger.

British world number 170 Sonay Kartal, who missed six months this year with a spinal stress fracture, upset ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic 6-0, 7-5 to book a date with Jasmine Paolini or Nikola Bartunkova.

(With inputs from AFP)

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Who did Iga Swiatek defeat in straight sets to reach the round of 16 at the Wuhan Open?

Iga Swiatek defeated her compatriot and lucky loser Magdalena Frech 6-2, 6-1 in an all-Polish match to advance to the round of 16 at the Wuhan Open.

Who does Iga Swiatek face next in the round of 16 at the Wuhan Open?

Swiatek advances to the round of 16 where she will face either Lanlana Tararudee or Ashlyn Krueger.

Which seeded player did British world number 170 Sonay Kartal upset at the Wuhan Open?

British world number 170 Sonay Kartal secured an upset victory over ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic with a 6-0, 7-5 scoreline.

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Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli…Read More

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