Swiatek keeps riding wave of success

Iga’s perfect preparation for Texas

World No.1 Iga Swiatek’s 2022 campaign keeps on building credentials as one of the finest seasons ever.

Dusting herself down following a gruelling finalist run in Ostrava, the world No.1 headed Stateside and notched up two more Top 10 triumphs en route to capturing the San Diego trophy 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 versus the resurgent Donna Vekic.

The Pole has now collected eight titles and a tour-leading 64 match wins this season. Simply sensational. It’s been about adapting, “going with the flow,” just finding a way.

“The goal is not playing or feeling perfectly, but winning when you're not feeling perfect, or winning when you're not comfortable on court and you can't play with your intuition,” the 21-year-old told WTA Insider.

“This season, playing in different conditions and sometimes coming back, playing really long matches, or even keeping your focus and being sharp in these short matches, it really gave me the confidence that I can use all these skills. I really feel I can face anything right now.”

Swiatek, stunning the San Diego crowd with her sliding shot-making, now turns her attention to the season finale in Texas with a 24-1 record on US soil in 2022.

"The Finals is going to be the most intense tournament of the season, playing against the top players from Day one," Swiatek continued with WTA Insider. "We'll get back to intense practicing when we get to Dallas, but I'll have a few days in Florida to get into the rhythm before going."

FAA firing towards Turin

Canadian talisman Felix Auger-Aliassime has his radar fully focused on an ATP Finals debut.

The world No.10 climbed to seventh in the ‘Race to Turin’ with a title run in Florence, now leading eighth-placed Taylor Fritz by just 180 points in the live standings.

Under the Grand Slam champion provision, Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic (10th in the Race to Turin) has already claimed his spot, meaning only the top seven will book their ticket to November’s season finale. 

"The plan right now is to play every week, to play in Antwerp, Basel and Paris because there are still tournaments to play and the Race is very close," said the 22-year-old. "There are players like Taylor (Fritz) and Andrey (Rublev), and many others are competing hard right now to try and qualify, so I'm going to try to put myself in the best position possible to try and make it to Turin." 

Auger-Aliassime backed up straight-set wins over Brandon Nakashima and Lorenzo Musetti to post 6-4, 6-4 in the silverware showdown up against American J.J. Wolf. 

“The emotions that come with winning are one of a kind and the love I have for this sport seems to just keep growing," Tweeted the victorious Canadian. "The (title) number two feels just as sweet as the first and I’m sure what’s to come will be even sweeter.”

Rublev rules in Gijon

Andrey Rublev is also well and truly in the mix for an ATP Finals invite.

The 24-year-old lifted his fourth title of the season by overcoming the towering American Sebastian Korda 6-2, 6-3 in the Gijon Open final.

The world No.8’s Spanish success has bolstered his Turin qualification hopes, currently sitting sixth in the live standings.

“To win one more title here in my career is really important for me. All the weeks are important for me because I am fighting for the Finals,” stated Rublev.

“It would be a really amazing feeling because this is the tournament players are dreaming of playing. To qualify for three years in a row will be really important for me.”

Rublev featured in the round robin stages of the 2020 and 2021 ATP Finals.

Blinkova breaks new ground in Romania

Anna Blinkova enjoyed a dream week at the Transylvania Open.

Ranked No.138, the 24-year-old stormed all the way from qualifying to clinch her maiden WTA title.

Blinkova became the fifth WTA qualifier of 2022 to become champion courtesy of a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 battle with Italian Jasmine Paolini. As a reward Blinkova surges 59 positions up to world No.79 in Monday’s latest rankings.

"I’m feeling so good, I cannot even describe my emotions because I just finished a very tough match," Blinkova said afterwards. "Actually, all the matches were very tough, and I’m extremely happy to be able to go through all the challenges and stay mentally strong and mentally stable."