Iga Swiatek, the tournament’s top seed, showcased her dominance as she cruised into the final of the WTA 500 Korea Open, held in Seoul, with impressive performances in both her quarter-final and semi-final matches. The inclement weather necessitated a rescheduling of these matches to Saturday, but Swiatek completed her path to the final in a brisk total of two and a half hours.
In the quarter-finals, Swiatek dismantled Barbora Krejcikova, a former Grand Slam champion from the Czech Republic, with an emphatic score of 6-0, 6-3. The match was initially slated for Friday but was postponed due to heavy rainfall. Swiatek maintained relentless pressure throughout the encounter, quickly gaining control and sealing victory in just 83 minutes. She then faced rising Australian talent Maya Joint later in the day, winning decisively 6-0, 6-2 in a match that lasted just over an hour.
After her matches, Swiatek commented, “I just focused on myself, and on the goals that I had before. The final is supposed to be the toughest, and it always produces a different kind of stress, so I’m just happy that I’ve already played solid matches here.” The win advanced her to her fifth final of the year.
Swiatek’s opponent in the final will be Ekaterina Alexandrova, the second seed, who advanced after defeating German qualifier Ella Seidel 6-2, 6-3 and progressing through a tough semi-final against Katerina Siniakova, where she triumphed 6-4, 6-2. Alexandrova expressed her excitement, stating, “I’m happy to be back in the final here in Seoul. It would be such an amazing achievement to win here again, but tomorrow will be a super difficult match.”
Alexandrova previously claimed the Korea Open title in 2022 and is experiencing strong form, with this final marking her third of the season, all at the WTA 500 level. She has already secured a title in Linz and was the runner-up in Monterrey this year. Her day’s path to the final included overcoming obstacles like facing multiple break points against Seidel and having to maintain focus against Siniakova.
The scheduled final will mark a significant clash between the two top seeds, who have a competitive history. Swiatek leads their career head-to-head 5-2, with both of their meetings in the current season resulting in victories for the Polish star, most recently at the US Open. With the stakes high, both players look to secure a coveted title and further solidify their standings in the WTA rankings. As they prepare for their showdown in Seoul, expectations are high for an exhilarating match on center court.
