Iga Świątek has once again ascended to the pinnacle of the global tennis rankings. Her victory in the WTA Finals served as the catalyst, reestablishing her as the dominant force in the sport. The year 2023 unequivocally belonged to her as she shattered records and achieved unparalleled success.
Świątek’s Historic Triumph: Dominating WTA Finals in Record Fashion
The final of the WTA Finals was etched into the annals of tennis history as the most one-sided contest ever witnessed. In an astonishing feat, Świątek lost just a solitary game, completing the match within a mere hour. Throughout the entire tournament, she relinquished a meager 20 games, marking a new record low since the tournament’s current format was introduced in 2003.
What just happened??? 😱 pic.twitter.com/hsSKfFq6wq
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) November 7, 2023
For Świątek, this victory marked her 17th triumphant final appearance in a WTA event out of 21 attempts, a testament to her unwavering dominance on the court. Her success might have been even more staggering, given her runner-up finishes in Dubai and Madrid earlier in the year.
A Year of Records and Dominance in Tennis
The 2023 season commenced with Świątek at the summit of the rankings, and it culminated with her resolutely maintaining that position. It was a year defined by her unrivaled prowess. She clinched the prestigious French Open title for the third time in her career in 2023 and conquered smaller tournaments in Doha, Stuttgart, Warsaw, and Tokyo, further solidifying her legacy. Throughout this exceptional year, she obliterated several records.
Iga Świątek in 2023 season ✍️
— Z kortu – informacje tenisowe | Tennis news (@z_kortu) November 6, 2023
✅ 68-11 W-L record
✅ 23x 6:0, 31x 6:1
✅ 6 🏆 (Roland Garros, WTA Finals, WTA 1000, 2x WTA 500, WTA 250)
✅ 9295 pts in WTA ranking
✅ World No. 1
📸 Jimmie48 Photography | WTA | #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/gytOXVHxTe
Świątek’s list of accolades continued to grow as she secured the most WTA 1000 titles before turning 23, an astonishing total of 6. At just 22 years old, she became the youngest winner of the WTA Finals since 2011, when Petra Kvitova achieved the feat at 21. Her final victory in Cancun marked her 68th of the season, surpassing the previous record of 67 wins in a calendar year, set in 2022.
Joining Tennis Legends and Bagel Mastery
What’s more, Świątek is only the sixth player, since the inception of the WTA rankings in 1975, to conclude two consecutive seasons as the world No. 1. The only individuals surpassing her in youth were legendary names such as Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Caroline Wozniacki.
YEAR-END WORLD NO. 1 🌍
— Z kortu – informacje tenisowe | Tennis news (@z_kortu) November 7, 2023
8x Graf
7x Navratilova
5x Evert, S. Williams
4x Davenport
3x Seles, Hingis, Henin, Barty
2x Wozniacki, Halep, Świątek 🆕
1x Janković, Azarenka, Kerber
1975: Evert
1976: Evert
1977: Evert
1978: Navratilova
1979: Navratilova
1980: Evert
1981: Evert
1982:… pic.twitter.com/wnT0cHKyfE
It is no secret that Świątek’s specialty lies in the ‘bagels,’ a term used to describe sets won with a score of zero. Throughout the season, she served up a staggering total of 23 bagels, a testament to her unmatched ability to overpower her opponents.
Most Bagels on WTA Tour in 2023 ⬇️
— We Love Tennis (@welovetennis01) November 6, 2023
🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8GiZHURulX