Świątek rallies past errors to claim Seoul title
In a final fraught with serving woes and relentless pressure, Iga Świątek summoned her champion’s resolve to outlast Ekaterina Alexandrova, securing a hard-fought victory that echoes her season’s unyielding spirit.
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The courts at Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center thrummed under an October sun, the hard surface quick and unforgiving as Iga Świątek faced Ekaterina Alexandrova in a clash that would test the limits of endurance and will. The top seed, carrying the momentum of recent triumphs in Cincinnati and Wimbledon, started ragged, her serve crumbling under the weight of nine double faults and five breaks conceded. Yet over nearly three hours, with aces tilting 6-2 against her and points barely in her favor, the world No. 2 clawed back to a 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 win, her third title of 2025 and 25th career crown at age 24.
“First of all, I want to congratulate Ekaterina for an amazing week and an amazing final,” said Świątek. “Honestly, I don’t know how I won it because you were playing great and I just tried to stay alive.”
Blazing start exposes early vulnerabilities
Alexandrova burst from the blocks, her flat groundstrokes whipping crosscourt with pace that suited the medium-fast hard courts, claiming the first set in just 30 minutes. Świątek’s tentative serves invited breaks, the Russian’s aces pinning her deep and disrupting any rhythm from the baseline. The crowd, a blend of locals and expats amid the park’s autumn hush, watched the top seed’s movement remain fluid but her confidence waver, echoes of a grueling season’s toll surfacing in every miscue. As the light softened, Świątek began probing with deeper returns, aiming to blunt the power that had overwhelmed her opener. Her opponent’s No. 11 ranking belied the threat on this surface, where aggressive inside-in forehands forced defensive play. The Pole’s experience as a six-time Grand Slam champion flickered through, hinting at the fightback yet to come.Tiebreak poise ignites comeback fire
Into the second set, Świątek recalibrated, mixing underspin returns to jam Alexandrova’s serve and extend rallies where her superior footwork could shine. The tiebreak at 7-6 (3) became a crucible, her inside-out forehands stretching the Russian wide before down-the-line backhands clipped the lines for crucial points. Tension rippled through the stands as the set evened, Świątek’s composure—honed in 25-5 WTA finals—turning statistical deficits into momentum. She disrupted patterns with varied pace, countering the one–two punches that had dominated early exchanges. Alexandrova’s power faltered in the longer points, her aggressive lines yielding to the Pole’s anticipatory defense. This shift, born of tactical depth, set the stage for a decider where endurance would decide all.“Hopefully we’re going to play more finals because it’s always tough against you,” Świątek added. “But it’s also entertaining.”