Bad Homburg, Germany – Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek crushed second seed Jasmine Paolini 6-1 6-3 on Friday, reaching Bad Homburg Open Final, looking for her first career title in the Glass.
She faces America’s top seed Jessica Pegra. Jessica Pegra had to defeat Czech Linda Noskova 6-7(2)7-5 6-1 in just two hours.
With Wimbledon starting next week, the original world number one Sweet showed she is on the right ostensibly trajectory, surpassing last year’s Wimbledon finalist, Italian.
“I was very happy and didn’t expect this. I had just done my job and knew what I wanted to do and went for it,” Sweet said in a post-match interview.
“I’m happy I continued to keep the momentum going until the end of the match. Jasmine, she’s a fighter so I can’t go back to the game. Swiatek has a 5-0 lead in the head-to-head match.
Paul, who won the French Open four times alongside the US Open, did not play any other grass tournaments this season ahead of his Wimbledon start next week.
She raced in 29 minutes thanks to three breaks, so she didn’t get plagued by the Italians on the first set.
The pair traded a break at the start of the second set, but Paolini continued to struggle to hold the serve, sealing off an offensive pole that went 4-2.
Swiatek sealed the victory with a forehand winner in the third match point and booked the final spot against Pegra.
Noscova had Pegra on the ropes and began completing her comeback with the second Americans since they got together, earning 5-4 and in the third match point.
“She’s really in a good way and I couldn’t read about it,” Pegra said. “Then I was able to start reading it. I’m happy to be able to bring myself back to the game.”
“When she’s firing on all the cylinders, she feels really good,” Pegra said of her opponent, Sweet in the final.
“That’s why she was the champion and number one. I’m pretty low and flat, and if it works, it can disrupt the rhythm.”