Ranking Iga Swiatek’s 5 best WTA Tour finals after Korea Open thriller
Iga Swiatek has contested many memorable matches during her extraordinary career to date, and her recent Korea Open final was the latest unforgettable battle involving the six-time Grand Slam singles champion.
In a showdown between the top two seeds in Seoul, the world No 1 battled from the brink to fight past the in-form Ekaterina Alexandrova at the WTA 500 event, sealing a milestone 25th WTA Tour title of her already legendary career.
The final sits alongside some of the best championship matches the world No 2 has contested, but what has been the best final of Swiatek’s career so far? Here, looking at a range of factors, we rank the five best finals — win or lose — that she has played in across her career to date.
5) Swiatek def Alexandrova 1-6, 7-6(3), 7-5, 2025 Korea Open
Our countdown starts with the final that inspired this list, and what was Swiatek’s third WTA Tour title of 2025.
One of the cleanest and most clinical ball strikers on tour, Alexandrova got off to a flying start with a dominant first set, though a high-quality and enthralling second set had the crowd in Seoul gasping at the sheer velocity of the ballstriking from both women.
It was a resilient Swiatek who took that second to force a nail-biting decider and, after rallying from an early break down, broke in the final game of the match to bring a memorable final to a close.
4) Barbora Krejcikova def Swiatek 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3, 2022 Ostrava Open
Krejcikova is currently the only player to beat the world No 2 in multiple WTA Tour finals, and her victory at the 2022 Ostrava Open was one of the best finals either woman has ever competed in.
The Pole had won 10 consecutive finals coming into this clash, and seven titles during her dominant 2022 season by this point, and edged a competitive opening set against her fellow major champion.
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However, perhaps buoyed by her home crowd, Krejcikova battled back and forced a decider by claiming an extraordinary second set, before holding her nerve to seal victory in the decider and break Swiatek’s finals streak.
3) Aryna Sabalenka def Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2023 Madrid Open
Sabalenka is arguably Swiatek’s biggest rival, though this epic clash remains the only time the current world No 1 has beaten the former world No 1 in a WTA final.
The Belarusian entered this match as a former Madrid Open champion and was looking to deny Swiatek her first title in the Spanish capital, and got off to a flying start in a high-quality opening set.
Swiatek rallied with a hugely impressive set of her own, though Sabalenka held her nerve to battle her way past her greatest rival and beat the Pole on clay for the first time.
2) Swiatek def Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, 2023 French Open
By far and away the toughest test that Swiatek has faced in her six Grand Slam finals, Muchova almost defied the odds to pull off a stunning upset — only for the Pole to hold her nerve when it mattered.
The defending French Open champion was an overwhelming favourite in this match and took control with a comfortable first set, only for Muchova to use all her guile and skill to make a real match of the final and impressively force a third set.
The Czech was twice a break up in the decider, though Swiatek dug her heels in and refused to yield, raising her level when it mattered to win her fourth major, and third at Roland Garros.
1) Swiatek def Aryna Sabalenka, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7), 2024 Madrid Open
Twelve months after their first Madrid Open thriller, Swiatek and Sabalenka combined to produce an even better final inside the Caja Magica, and this time it was the Pole who prevailed.
Denied a first Madrid title by her rival the previous year, it was Swiatek who struck late on to claim the opener and move one set from glory, only for Sabalenka to respond with an equally impressive set of her own.
An enthralling decider saw momentum swing between both modern-day greats, though, after superbly saving three match points, Swiatek sealed a stunning victory in what proved to be one of the best, if not the best, contests of the whole of 2024.
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