Iga Swiatek kicked off her WTA Finals title defence with a hard-fought victory, rallying back from a set and a double-break down to overcome eighth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova in Riyadh on Sunday.
The Polish second seed kept her hopes of wrestling back the number one ranking from Aryna Sabalenka alive with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 performance against Krejcikova.
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Making her first competitive appearance in two months, Swiatek fell behind 4-6, 0-3 before she mounted a successful comeback against the crafty Czech.
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“For sure it wasn’t easy. At the beginning I felt a bit rusty but I’m happy I found a way to play a little bit more solid,” said Swiatek on court.