Iga Swiatek as a finalist: the most dominant start to a career OAT

[Lozo1016]

Since losing her first career final 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 to Polona Hercog at Lugano, this is what Swiatek has done to opponents in finals...

2020 Roland Garros: Kenin 6-4, 6-1
2021 Adelaide: Bencic 6-2, 6-2
2021 Rome: Ka. Pliskova 6-0, 6-0
2022 Doha: Kontaveit 6-2, 6-0
2022 Indian Wells: Sakkari 6-4, 6-1
2022 Miami: Osaka 6-4, 6-0
2022 Stuttgart: Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2
2022 Rome: Jabeur 6-2, 6-2
2022 Roland Garros: Gauff 6-1, 6-3

In those 9 matches, she's 9-0 and 18-0 in sets. She won 108 games to her opponents' 32. None of these 9 opponents have won more than 5 games off of her in any of these matches.

I can't find another Open Era legend who can match that type of finals dominance to begin a career. Steffi lost her first 6 finals. Navratilova lost 9 of her first 12 finals. Venus lost 6 of her first 9 finals. Justine won her first 4 finals, and then lost her next 6. Hingis lost 4 of her first 6 finals.

Serena won 7 of her first 9 finals, with 4 3-set wins. Seles went 11-2 in her first 13 finals, but she lost 2 of her first 3.

Sharapova went 9-1 in her first 10 finals, but 5 of those wins were 3-setters.

I think the one legend who can approach Iga's dominance is Chris Evert. Evert won 8 of her first 9 finals. All 8 of those victories were straight setters and she lost an astonishing total of just 22 games. But, she went on to lose her next 3 finals.

When you consider Iga's stellar 10-match record and eye-popping dominance, I think she stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

 

[helterskelter]

None of them has won more than four games in a set. More than five suggests some have won five.

 

[fishpiefriday]

It's very impressive and with Barty's retirement, it's difficult to see who will stop her at the moment.

 

[buscemi]

Seles went 1-2 in finals at age 15 (beating Evert and losing to Graf and Navratilova) and then won 10 straight, including the French Open, the YEC, and the Australian Open, with all but 1 of those wins coming at age 16. So, I would say her 11-2 record in her first 13 finals was more impressive than Swiatek's 9-1 record.

 

[Lozo1016]

None of them has won more than four games in a set. More than five suggests some have won five.

I was referring to the full match, not a set. I'll edit for clarity.

 

[Purestriker]

Since losing her first career final 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 to Polona Hercog at Lugano, this is what Swiatek has done to opponents in finals...

2020 Roland Garros: Kenin 6-4, 6-1
2021 Adelaide: Bencic 6-2, 6-2
2021 Rome: Ka. Pliskova 6-0, 6-0
2022 Doha: Kontaveit 6-2, 6-0
2022 Indian Wells: Sakkari 6-4, 6-1
2022 Miami: Osaka 6-4, 6-0
2022 Stuttgart: Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2
2022 Rome: Jabeur 6-2, 6-2
2022 Roland Garros: Gauff 6-1, 6-3

In those 9 matches, she's 9-0 and 18-0 in sets. She won 108 games to her opponents' 32. None of these 9 opponents have won more than 5 games off of her in any of these matches.

I can't find another Open Era legend who can match that type of finals dominance to begin a career. Steffi lost her first 6 finals. Navratilova lost 9 of her first 12 finals. Venus lost 6 of her first 9 finals. Justine won her first 4 finals, and then lost her next 6. Hingis lost 4 of her first 6 finals.

Serena won 7 of her first 9 finals, with 4 3-set wins. Seles went 11-2 in her first 13 finals, but she lost 2 of her first 3.

Sharapova went 9-1 in her first 10 finals, but 5 of those wins were 3-setters.

I think the one legend who can approach Iga's dominance is Chris Evert. Evert won 8 of her first 9 finals. All 8 of those victories were straight setters and she lost an astonishing total of just 22 games. But, she went on to lose her next 3 finals.

When you consider Iga's stellar 10-match record and eye-popping dominance, I think she stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

Quite a few bagels in that run. Cannot see anyone beating her for a while, but the grass season could prove me wrong.

 

[Winners or Errors]

Definition of a weak era. She's feasting like the next ATG to arrive on the men's side will. Wishing for more competition. She is that good, but c'mon...

 

[Lozo1016]

Apparently she went 7-0 in finals on the ITF women's tour before we saw her on the WTA tour, taking 14 of the 15 total sets played. Finalist Swiatek is scary.

 

[Deleted member 791948]

Barty really must not have a competitive bone in her body! Beating peak Iga when nobody else can would surely be motivation to make a comeback....
Then again, Barty won their 2021 and 2022 meetings easily, so Barty may think Iga is not worthwhile

 

[TimHenmanATG]

It's very hard to look beyond Iga at Wimbers, but these kind of extraordinary runs have a tendency to come to an abrupt conclusion in a surprising manner.

I don't think she will win at SW19 (my personal tip is Paula Badosa), but I'm curious about just where she will come a cropper en route...

 

[Deleted member 791948]

Out of nowhere Sofia Kenin won the AO and made RG Final, so maybe she will be the surprise winner of Wimbledon

 

[T007]

All thanks to Barty's retirement.

 

[Jokervich]

It's very impressive and with Barty's retirement, it's difficult to see who will stop her at the moment.

Zheng would have stopped her if she didn't get injured.

 

[fox]

It's very hard to look beyond Iga at Wimbers, but these kind of extraordinary runs have a tendency to come to an abrupt conclusion in a surprising manner.

I don't think she will win at SW19 (my personal tip is Paula Badosa), but I'm curious about just where she will come a cropper en route...

Badosa is injured and it was mentioned that she will be few weeks out. So even if she manages to play she will be unprepared.

 

[Wesling]

she was ragdolled by barty...

 

[fox]

Zheng would have stopped her if she didn't get injured.

IF IF IF... doesn't exist.

she was ragdolled by barty...

She lost in Madrid last year 5-7 4-6 having 3-0 lead in first so it was very close match and Iga was worse back then.

 

[Lozo1016]

Reminder of what Jabeur is up against today.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

Also, all these 9 opponents have been top 10 at some point.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

It's very hard to look beyond Iga at Wimbers, but these kind of extraordinary runs have a tendency to come to an abrupt conclusion in a surprising manner.

I don't think she will win at SW19 (my personal tip is Paula Badosa), but I'm curious about just where she will come a cropper en route...

Badosa is never a good slam tip.

 

[Chanwan]

Seles went 1-2 in finals at age 15 (beating Evert and losing to Graf and Navratilova) and then won 10 straight, including the French Open, the YEC, and the Australian Open, with all but 1 of those wins coming at age 16. So, I would say her 11-2 record in her first 13 finals was more impressive than Swiatek's 9-1 record.

agreed on by all objective observers. Iga's pretty great too, though

 

[coolcamden]

Zheng would have stopped her if she didn't get injured.

Zheng claimed that it was… that time of the month for women.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

Zheng claimed that it was… that time of the month for women.

First one ever to use that excuse publicly. She gets my respect for that, but it's not a real injury.

 

[jimmy8]

Thanks, you just jinxed her.

j/k

Edit 9/12/22: Guess not!

 

[jimmy8]

Every interview from now on is going to ask Iga if she took a ****.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

Badosa is never a good slam tip.

Imagine not being fully on board the BAEdosa Express. Shake my damn head, smdh, etc.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

Imagine not being fully on board the BAEdosa Express. Shake my damn head, smdh, etc.

I like her.

But after she loses those Indian Wells points...

 

[TimHenmanATG]

I like her.

But after she loses those Indian Wells points...