Elena Rybakina opened a bakery in Riyadh — serving Iga Swiatek a bagel and a breadstick that the Pole devoured, only to leave full of regret. In the Serena Williams Group, the Kazakhstani dropped the first set but came roaring back to win, moving to 2–0 at this year’s WTA Finals.
Despite being the last player to secure her spot in Riyadh, Rybakina proved why she belongs among the elite, snapping a four-match losing streak against Swiatek. After dropping the opening set 3–6, the sixth seed found her range and completely flipped the script, storming through the next two sets 6–1 6–0 to hand the 2023 WTA Finals champion one of her heaviest defeats of the season.
Swiatek started strong, dictating play early with precise groundstrokes and sharp returns that kept Rybakina on the back foot. The Pole’s consistency and clean ball striking earned her the first set, as Rybakina struggled with timing and a few untimely errors. But what looked like a routine victory for the former world No. 1 quickly unraveled.
Once Rybakina settled into her rhythm, her serve began clicking and her forehand started doing serious damage. From the baseline, she began hitting through Swiatek’s defenses, taking control of rallies and forcing errors from the usually unshakable Pole. The transformation was swift and stunning: Rybakina dominated the second set 6–1 and then delivered a near-flawless final set, dishing out a rare 6–0 bagel to seal the win.
Rybakina won 12 of the last 13 games once she found her groove. For Swiatek, it was a sobering defeat that left her momentarily stunned, forced to rethink her approach ahead of her final group-stage clash.
With this victory, Rybakina moved to 2–0 in the Serena Williams Group, putting herself in prime position for the semifinals. She’ll reach the final four if Amanda Anisimova beats Madison Keys later on Monday. Swiatek is 1–1 in round-robin phase, having defeated Keys in her opener.
