Swiatek saves five match points in rare final loss

Iga Swiatek battled to save five match points in a torrid final game before losing 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3 on Sunday to Czech Barbora Krejcikova in the WTA Ostrava final.

The struggle between winners of the last three editions at Roland Garros lasted for more than three and a quarter hours, with each of the first two sets requiring  around 75 minutes.

World No. 1 Swiatek, Paris Grand Slam champion in 2020 and 2022, accepted the end of a 10-match win streak while Czech Krejcikova won her ninth on the trot.

Three-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek was competing in her eighth final of the season and lost a WTA title match for only the second time in a dozen outings after winning 10 in a row.

She was bidding to lift her 60th victory of the season during which she has claimed seven titles,

The 23rd-ranked Krejcikova earned a first victory against a world No. 1 from three attempts.

“Congrats to Barbora,” Swiatek said. “You are such an amazing player.

“We didn’t see a lot of you this season (injury) but coming back you are playing such solid tenis.

“It’s amazing, we need players like you on the WTA for sure.”

The Czech trailed 5-1 in the opening set, which Swiatek eventually won as she held off a charge from her opponent. Krejcikova levelled at a set each as she claimed the second on her fourth chance.

The third was a dogfight as the contest stretched to the joint-longest final played so far this season.