WATCH: Iga Swiatek sobs uncontrollably as she loses to Jessica Pegula at the 2023 United Cup
Iga Swiatek takes loss to Jessica Pegula harshly as she breaks down on the bench after losing in straight-sets in the United Cup.
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Iga Swiatek
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has suffered her first loss of the season. The Pole had started the season with three consecutive wins guiding Poland to the semi-finals of the 2023 United Cup. She had also played in two mixed-doubles matches winning both of those alongside Hubert Hurkacz.
In the semi-finals, pitted against the USA, Swiatek went up against World No. 3 Jessica Pegula. Many expected it to be a good battle, but eventually, it turned out to be a one-sided affair for Pegula. The American No. 1 dispatched the three-time Grand Slam champion 6-2, 6-2 in just 71 minutes to draw the first blood in the semi-final.
It is no brainer how important Swiatek is for Poland’s chances at the United Cup. The 21-year-old also understands her role and realized shortly how massive her loss could turn out to be. As the realization hit her, the two-time French Open champion broke down in tears as she reached the player’s bench.
Swiatek took a white towel over her head to cover her face as she sobbed on the bench. Team captain Agnieszka Radwanska was seen comforting Swiatek who continued to cry inside the towel. Even when her name was announced in the stadium, she just waved her hand but did not let go of her towel.
Related: Emma Raducanu breaks down mid-match as fresh injury puts 2023 Australian Open in jeopardy
Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula’s head-to-head record
The 2023 United Cup semi-final was the sixth meeting between Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula. The win for Pegula meant she registered her first-ever win over a World No. 1 player and her second against the Pole. The first-ever match that Pegula and Swiatek played in was won by the American who clinched a three-set win as she went on to win the 2019 Washington Open title.
Since then, it was all the Swiatek show as the pair locked horns in the 2022 season. They met in the semi-finals of the 2022 Miami Open and the quarter-finals of both the 2022 French Open and the 2022 US Open, all of which were won by the World No. 1 in straight-sets. She also won the tournament on all three occasions in her record-breaking season.
Their fourth and final meeting of the 2022 season was the semi-finals of the 2022 San Diego Open. It again went Swiatek’s way but not before Pegula took her the distance. As earlier, Swiatek again managed to win the title, which was her eighth and final title of the season. However, with today’s loss, the Pole’s lead is cut short in the head-to-head as she now leads the American 4-2.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)