Iga Swiatek overpowers Sabalenka to win Stuttgart title

Story by Reuters

Updated 0923 GMT (1723 HKT) April 25, 2022

Swiatek was given the keys to a red Porsche Taycan car after winning the Stuttgart Open.

(Reuters)World number one Iga Swiatek captured her fourth straight title of the 2022 season by beating Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-2 in the Stuttgart Open final on Sunday, extending her winning streak to 23 matches.

Swiatek, a former French Open champion, had breezed through the opening rounds of the WTA 500 claycourt tournament before facing her biggest test in the semi-finals, where she battled back from a set down to overcome Ludmilla Samsonova on Saturday.How a sports psychologist helped teenager Iga Swiatek win her first tennis grand slam The Polish 20-year-old showed little signs of fatigue from that marathon clash as she saved an early breakpoint and raced ahead 3-0 before holding firm and taking the opening set when third-seeded Sabalenka, last year's runner-up, double-faulted.The pair had split their previous contests — in last year's WTA Finals and the Qatar Open in February — but it was the in-form Swiatek who excelled in their first claycourt meeting, dealing effortlessly with her opponent's big hitting.The error-prone Sabalenka looked to mount a comeback after a crucial hold of serve at the start of the second set but Swiatek switched gears to break for a 4-2 lead and completed the victory when the Belarusian sent a shot long.Read More«It's always super tough playing against Aryna. We fought for every game and hopefully there are more matches to come,» Swiatek, who was given the keys to a red Porsche Taycan car following her seventh career title, said.«The last couple of days have been tough… I want to thank my dad who finally decided he will come with me for