Iga Swiatek, the top-ranked player in the world, held off a determined effort from Donna Vekic on Sunday to lift her 11th career WTA singles trophy and her eighth of the current season. The San Diego Open final saw Swiatek, a three-time Grand Slam champion, defeat the 77th-ranked Croatian 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. This result marked Swiatek's 64th win of 2022, a tour-leading achievement that took her one hour and 47 minutes of intense play. This victory was particularly sweet for the 21-year-old Pole, as it served as a comeback after her defeat to Barbora Krejcikova in the final at Ostrava just a week prior.
Swiatek's current season success is historic, recording more wins (across WTA and Billie Jean King Cup matches) than any player since Serena Williams' dominant 2013 season. Her performance in the United States throughout 2022 has been nothing short of stellar, maintaining a 24-1 record. Meanwhile, Donna Vekic's impressive run through the tournament was halted by the world number one. It was a physically demanding day for the former top-20 player, as she had to play two singles matches. Her semifinal against Danielle Collins on Saturday was paused by rain, leaving Vekic down 4-2 in the deciding set.
Meanwhile, Vekic’s renewed run through the draw came to an end at the hands of the World No.1, in the former Top 20 player’s second singles match of the day. In a rain-halted semifinal on Saturday, Vekic was trailing Danielle Collins 4-2 in the deciding set.
Despite the setback, the 26-year-old Croatian showed incredible grit, fighting back to win the third-set tiebreak once play resumed on Sunday. She managed to beat the 19th-ranked American, Danielle Collins—who was the Australian Open runner-up this year—with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2). Vekic's path to the final was grueling, as she fought through two qualifying rounds before knocking out four top-25 players in a row. Although she managed to push Swiatek to a third set for the first time in their three head-to-head meetings, the fatigue of playing twice in one day made it nearly impossible to overcome the world number one.
The statistics highlight the gap in the final: Swiatek won a staggering 82% of her second-service points, whereas Vekic struggled with a success rate of only 39%. This disparity allowed Swiatek to be efficient with her opportunities, converting four of her six break point chances.
Swiatek began the match with composure, maintaining a steady rhythm in the first set and forcing errors from Vekic to secure a break at 4-2. She closed out the opening set in 40 minutes after a backhand error from Vekic. However, the momentum shifted in the second set; Vekic hit a sharp forehand crosscourt winner to break and build a 4-2 lead, eventually forcing a decider. This pushed Swiatek to elevate her game in the final set, where she dominated long rallies with clinical, precise winners.