By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday February 20, 2023
Iga Swiatek – tennis’ reigning queen – and bagel queen – has added a new record to her growing cache. The 21-year-old claimed the Doha title over the weekend, defeating Jessica Pegula in a lopsided final (6-3, 6-0) and thus has set the record for fewest games dropped en route to a WTA title in the Open Era.
Swiatek dropped five games across three rounds at Doha, as she tackled Danielle Collins 6-0, 6-1 in the first round before receiving a bye into the semifinals when Belinda Bencic retired. In the semis she dispatched Veronika Kudermetova, the World No. 11, 6-0, 6-1.
Prior to last week, no WTA player had ever won a title winning less than seven games. That honor goes to Chris Evert, who swept her way to the Lugano title to the tune of just seven games dropped (in four matches).
Evert (1974 Indianapolis, 5 matches), Steffi Graf, (1988 Mahwah, 4 matches) and Monica Seles (1992 Houston, 4 matches) had each previously won a tournament while losing just eight games.
This week Swiatek, now a 12-time WTA title winner, takes the court in Dubai, where she will face Leylah Fernandez in the second round.