Swiatek cruises past Kasatkina

Caroline Garcia of France returns to Coco Gauff of the United States in their group stage match during the WTA Finals at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas on

Fort Worth (US): World No.1 No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek performed so well against nearly every opponent all season that it should come as no surprise she's been perfect when facing the best of the best since early January. Swiatek extended her winning streak against opponents ranked in the top 10 to 13 matches - the longest such single-season run in 15 years - and opened her bid for a first WTA Finals title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Daria Kasatkina in round-robin play Tuesday night.

Swiatek has asserted herself as a dominant force in women's tennis, claiming two Grand Slam titles and eight tournament trophies in 2022. Her 65-8 match record leads the tour, too. That includes a 5-0 mark against Kasatkina this year.

“Sometimes, against players like that, there comes a little bit more doubt,” said Swiatek, who will try to make it 14 in a row against top-10 foes when she takes on No. 6 Caroline Garcia, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over 18-year-old American Coco Gauff.