Maja Chwalinska beats Iga Swiatek after saving two set points in Wuhan semifinal

Swiatek turns around the first set

Chwalinska broke Swiatek’s serve in the fifth game of the opening set, giving her the first break of the match. Swiatek broke back, then broke Chwalinska once more to lead 5-3. She had turned an early deficit into a chance to serve for the set, but Chwalinska still had an opportunity to break back.

Chwalinska saves two set points

Serving at 5-3, Swiatek reached 40-15 and held two set points. Chwalinska saved both. She recovered the break, broke Swiatek again and took the opening set 7-5. The two saved points were the turning point: Swiatek had been one point from winning the set, but Chwalinska went on to win it.

Swiatek also received treatment for a leg injury during a medical timeout late in the first set. Chwalinska’s recovery had already changed the shape of the contest: after Swiatek’s 5-3 lead, the first set ended in Chwalinska’s favor, and Chwalinska went into the second set needing one more to win the semifinal.

Two breaks put the second set out of reach

Chwalinska broke Swiatek in the first game of the second set and held serve to move ahead 2-0. In the fifth game, she trailed 40-15 on Swiatek’s serve before rallying to break for 4-1. It was another break won after Swiatek had held a 40-15 advantage on her own serve.

Chwalinska then held for 5-1 with a running forehand down the line. The match ended on a Swiatek shot into the net, giving Chwalinska the second set 6-1 and the match in straight sets. Swiatek did not recover the break she lost at the start of that set.

A first WTA 1000 final

Chwalinska won 10 of the final 11 games to reach her first WTA 1000 final. The win over Swiatek was also her first career victory against a top-10 opponent and took her to her second Tour-level final. Across the completed match, Chwalinska converted six of 10 break chances, while Swiatek converted two of eight.