“She played at the supreme level,” Jessica Pegula acknowledges the dominance of Iga Swiatek following the Doha final loss.
Jessica Pegula paid rich tributes to Iga Swiatek acknowledging the exceptional level of the game produced by her opponent.
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Jessica Pegula, Iga Świątek (Image: Reuters)
World No. 4 Jessica Pegula accepted the supremacy of Iga Swiatek in Doha after losing the final of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open on Saturday. Before the match, Swiatek was the favorite, but Pegula was expected to give her a tough challenge. However, World No. 1 appeared rushed, finishing the proceedings in just over an hour.
With the victory, the 21-year-old also avenged her loss to the Americans in the United Cup earlier this year. Swiatek’s supremacy on the tour also extended over Pegula. She improved the head-to-head lead over her rival to 5-2.
Pegula, for her part, was gracious in defeat as she acknowledged the dominance of Swiatek. She paid rich tributes to Swiatek, acknowledging the exceptional level of play produced by her opponent even in the face of a tough climate.
“I thought the wind might bother her because she plays with a lot of topspin, but she managed to play with very good margins, by hitting the ball from top to bottom, very early, by being very aggressive, and not leaving the wind to have any importance. It was probably her best level in our games, she played a full set without any mistakes, at a supreme level,” Pegula expressed.
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Doha’s win gives much-needed confidence to Swiatek
World No.1 Iga Swiatek did not fare well at the beginning of the season. In the inaugural United Cup, she lost to Pegula, following which she was reduced to tears. Next, in the Australian Open, she bowed out after losing to Elena Rybakina in the fourth round.
A streak of losses dented the confidence of the Pole, who finished the 2022 season as the most successful player on the women’s side. The title win in Doha will go a long way toward giving Swiatek the confidence she lost in the prior events. After the victory, she herself acknowledged the same.
“I’m really happy that I could kind of find more balance, compared to how I felt at the beginning of the season,” Swiatek said. “I think this tournament is going to give me a lot of confidence, but still, I want to take everything step by step. I’m just really happy that I could win this match today.”
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