Iga Swiatek Wins Korea Open, Nears WTA No.1 Ranking

Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2 tennis player, captured the Korea Open title in Seoul, marking her third championship win of 2025 after Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open. She staged a dramatic comeback against Ekaterina Alexandrova, overcoming a first-set loss and saving match points to win 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 in a two-and-a-half-hour thriller. Swiatek's victory not only adds 500 ranking points to her tally but also brings her closer to reclaiming the WTA No. 1 ranking, especially as Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from the tournament. Despite Alexandrova winning more points overall and having opportunities to close out the match, Swiatek's resilience prevailed in key moments, including a dominant second-set tiebreak and a late break in the final set. The win held personal significance for Swiatek, as it compensated for her father Tomasz's Olympic disappointment in Seoul in 1988. Swiatek's strong form in Seoul, including a dominant semifinal win over 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, sets her up for a potentially pivotal China Open performance to continue her bid for the year-end No. 1 spot.