San Diego Open | Iga Swiatek wins in the final against Donna Vekic

(San Diego) And eight titles in 2022! Still dominating, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, champion at Roland Garros and the United States Open, won the WTA 500 in San Diego (California) on Sunday, beating 6-3, 3-6 , 6-0 the Croatian Donna Vekic (77^e).

Two weeks after her first misstep in a final this season, in Ostrava where the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, over-motivated in front of her home crowd, prevented her from staying on her 100%, the 21-year-old Polish continued, imperturbable, her march in before.

She enforced logic at the expense of a modest opponent, against whom she now leads three wins to zero, and who had qualified only three hours earlier, after overthrowing 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2) American Danielle Collins (19^e), finalist of the Australian Open, after a match that they had not been able to finish the day before because of the rain.

This therefore left little time for Donna Vekic to project herself into her first season finale. And Swiatek, entering the game better, with a successful break in the sixth game, won the first set in 40 minutes.

The 26-year-old Croatian, who was looking for a third title on the circuit, after those won in Kuala Lumpur (2014), Nottingham (2017) and Courmayeur (2021), nevertheless found a way to raise her level of play. in the second set, seizing the opposing serve to lead 4-2 and then hold that advantage.

64 wins

Swiatek, pushed to the third round, as in the semi-finals by the American Jessica Pegula, then redoubled her aggressiveness so as not to let confidence settle in her rival, finally swept away by her battering after 1 h 47.

“It was a close game, very intense physically. It was up to the one who would dictate the exchanges. I wanted to give it my all (in the third set), and knowing how Donna can serve, I wanted to be more relaxed on the return, not procrastinate too much and follow my instincts. I wanted to give everything, fight on every ball. It gave me confidence, “she reacted hotly.

Here is the Polish who adds an 11^e trophy to his name, the eighth for this year alone after those gleaned in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Stuttgart, Roland-Garros at the United States Open, displaying an almost unchallenged domination on the WTA circuit, since Ashleigh Barty retired after winning the Australian Open at the end of January.

His record on American cement in 2022 is impressive: 24 wins, 1 loss. Suffice to say that the current best player in the world, who is now 64 games won in 2022, will leave largely favorite in the women’s championship, which will be played from October 31 to November 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and her partner Olmos defeat in the final

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Guiliana Olmos lost 6-1, 5-7, 4-10 in the doubles final of the San Diego Open to Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff on Sunday.

Dabrowski and her Mexican teammate, the second seeds, had four of their seven break chances, while the American pair converted two of their four break chances in a game lasting one hour and 18 minutes.

Pegula and Gauff, the favorites at this WTA 500 Series tournament, were coming off a 6-3, 7-6(5) semi-final victory earlier Sunday over Demi Schuurs and Desirae Krawczyk.

The Americans had five aces while their rivals had none.

Dabrowski and Olmos had won a convincing 6-0, 6-3 victory in the semi-final against third seeds Ellen Perez and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.