Iga Swiatek has won four French Open titles and one at the US Open Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek reached a first WTA Tour grass-court final with a crushing victory over Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini at Bad Homburg. Poland's Swiatek, a former junior champion at Wimbledon, beat the Italian 6-1 6-3. The former world number one has won 12 titles on hard courts and 10 on the clay. Swiatek reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2023 but has not gone beyond the fourth round in any of her other four appearances there. Victory over world number five Paolini is also Swiatek's first over a top-10 player on the grass. "I am super happy - I was not expecting this," Swiatek, 24, said. "I just did my job, knew what I wanted to play and I went for it." She will face either American top seed Jessica Pegula or Czech Linda Noskova in Saturday's final, with Wimbledon beginning on Monday. Swiatek broke Paolini's serve three times to take the first set in just 29 minutes. Paolini went a quick break up in the second set but Swiatek, one of the best front-runners on the women's tour, reeled off six of the final eight games to secure victory. The Pole, who has won four French Open titles and one at the US Open, has not played any other grass-court tournaments this year, opting for a week of training in Mallorca before competing at Bad Homburg. Last year she played no competitive tennis between her French Open win and the start of Wimbledon. Meanwhile at Eastbourne, Alexandra Eala beat Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva 7-5 2-6 6-3 to reach the final. Eala - who memorably stunned Swiatek at the Miami Open in March - is the the first player from the Philippines to reach a WTA Tour final. The 20-year-old lost five games in a row on her way to conceding the second set, before regrouping to clinch the decider. Eala, ranked 74th in the world, has been drawn against defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the first round at SW19. But first, she will face either Australian teenager Maya Joint or Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Saturday's final.
Swiatek reaches first WTA Tour grass-court final
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"Iga Swiatek Advances to First WTA Tour Grass-Court Final at Bad Homburg"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Iga Swiatek, the five-time Grand Slam champion, has made history by reaching her first WTA Tour grass-court final at Bad Homburg. The Polish tennis star showcased her dominance with a decisive victory over Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini, winning the match 6-1, 6-3. Known for her prowess on hard and clay courts, Swiatek has previously claimed 12 titles on hard surfaces and 10 on clay. Despite her impressive track record, she had yet to advance beyond the quarter-finals at Wimbledon prior to this season. This victory marks a significant milestone for Swiatek as it is her first win against a top-10 player on grass, demonstrating her adaptability and skill on this surface. Following the match, an elated Swiatek expressed her surprise at her performance, stating, "I am super happy - I was not expecting this," and emphasized her focused approach to the game.
Swiatek's victory sets her up for a final showdown against either American top seed Jessica Pegula or Czech player Linda Noskova. Notably, Swiatek had not participated in any grass-court tournaments prior to Bad Homburg, opting instead for a week of training in Mallorca after her clay season. Her journey in the tournament has highlighted her ability to transition between playing surfaces effectively. In related news, Alexandra Eala from the Philippines has also made headlines by reaching the final at Eastbourne, defeating Varvara Gracheva in a closely contested match. Eala's achievement is historic as she becomes the first player from her country to reach a WTA Tour final. She will face either Australian teenager Maya Joint or Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her final match, before heading to Wimbledon to take on defending champion Barbora Krejcikova in the first round.
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