By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, November 1, 2025
Photo: WTA Finals Facebook
Iga Swiatek turned the purple courtyard of the Riyadh into a black hole.
Madison Keys he seemed lost in space.
Competing with energy and urgency, Swiatek defeated Keys 6-1, 6-2 to open her bid for a second WTA Finals championship with a bang.
Swiatek recorded her tournament-best 62nd win of the season to start round-robin play 1-0 in the eight-man Serena Williams Group of the WTA Finals.
Two years ago, Swiatek took the title without losing a match.
Second-seeded Swiatek commanded the center of the court today, shutting out the American to avenge a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) semifinal loss to Keys in the Australian Open semifinals. It was Swiatek’s sixth win in eight meetings with Keys as she began her quest for a 26th career title in strong form.
Playing her first game since a surprise 7-6, 6-7, 5-7 US Open opening loss to Renata Zarazua, Keys couldn’t shake the rust—or find the comfort zone with the new abbreviated service swing rather than her traditional full-loop swing.
Hall of Famer and Tennis Channel analyst Lindsay DavenportKeys’ former coach and long-time confidant said the American did not change her serve to protect a shoulder injury. Instead, Keys approved the shortened motion to time the service more effectively, Davenport said.
Swiatek scored nine of the first 11 points to grab a 3-0 lead after just eight minutes of play.
A sharp Swiatek ran off 20 of 23 points in a 5-0 run that left Keys looking completely shell-shocked just 15 minutes into the game.
Seventh-ranked Keys was held to 30 to finally get on the board at 1-5.
When Keys mishit back-to-back forehands, Swiatek ended the opening set on the side.
The former world No. 1 won 16 of 19 service points in a crushing 23-minute set.
Although Swiatek was in cruise control, she produced her first break of the match, doubling back and serving a pair of errors to gift Keys the break in the second game of the second set.
When Keys made a second double fault of the game, Swiatek broke again for 2-1.
Keys could not break through for the set although she saved two match points when Swiatek served for victory.
On her third match point, Swiatek sent a serve down the tee in 61 minutes.
