Poland’s World number 1 Iga Swiatek is through to the San Diego Open Final after overcoming American Jessica Pegula in three sets.
The US Open champion had to fight back from a set down to win 4-6 6-2 6-2 to continue her quest for her eighth title this season at the WTA 500 event.
Swiatek, like her previous match against Coco Gauff, raced to an early 4-2 lead with back-to-back breaks and had the American on the ropes for a third consecutive one before Pegula saved two break points and levelled the match at 4-all.
The change in the momentum was complete when Swiatek double-faulted in the next game to hand Pegula the advantage who served out for a one-set lead.
Rain halted the play for over an hour which helped the Pole regain her composure as she raced to a 3-0 lead in the second and never looked back to send the match into a decider.
At 2-all in the final set, Swiatek saved all three break points against her before breaking Pegula to take a 4-2 lead. A resigned forehand into the net from Pegula sent Swiatek into her ninth final of the year.
Iga Swiatek will either pay either American Danielle Collins or Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the San Diego Open final.
The victory is Swiatek’s 63rd of the season and having won Indian Wells, Miami, and the US Open, the 21-year-old is now 23-1 in the United States this season.
Swiatek also becomes the fourth woman to finish the year with more than 10,000 points in the WTA Tour rankings, after Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.
