Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka showdown in Stuttgart final leaves Chris Evert in awe
Chris Evert recently expressed her delight at watching a match between the world's two top-ranked players, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. Swiatek and Sabalenka faced off in Sunday's Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final in Stuttgart, and Evert thoroughly enjoyed the tennis on display.
World No. 1 Swiatek beat world No. 2 Sabalenka 6-3, 6-4 to successfully defend her Stuttgart title. Swiatek, making a comeback from injury this week, had beaten Sabalenka in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final last year too.
As the two in-form stars took to the court for the final on Sunday, Evert was pleased to see the power, movement and intensity from both.
"This @SabalenkaA @iga_swiatek match has everything! Power, movement, intensity….great example of being in the moment! Really enjoying this," Evert wrote on Twitter.
@WTAThis @SabalenkaA @iga_swiatek match has everything! Power, movement, intensity….great example of being in the moment! Really enjoying this. 👍👏 @WTA
Swiatek beat Qinwen Zheng 6-1, 6-4 in the Round of 16 to kickstart her campaign in Stuttgart. She then faced a tough test against former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, who stretched her to three sets before Swiatek won 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. It was Swiatek's first three-set match of the 2023 season.
The 21-year-old then reached the final after playing just three games in her semi-final against Ons Jabeur, as the Tunisian star was forced to retire due to injury.
Iga Swiatek predicts she will face Ons Jabeur in French Open 2023 final
Iga Swiatek was seen consoling a dejected Ons Jabeur after their curtailed semi-final at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Saturday. When asked later what words were exchanged in their conversation, Swiatek said she told Jabeur they would face each other in the 2023 French Open final.
"I told her we're probably going to play the Roland Garros final, so we'll see each other there. She's a fighter, so she's going to be back quick. I just hope it's nothing serious," Swiatek said in her post-match interview.
After winning in Stuttgart, Swiatek will next compete in the Madrid Open before defending her title at the Italian Open in Rome. Swiatek will also look to defend the 2022 French Open title, which she won by dropping just a solitary set.
The 21-year-old is bidding for her third Roland Garros crown and fourth Slam overall next month.