Author: Barkha Roy
In the round of 64 match, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini faced a challenging opponent in Brazilian 15th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. The contest began with Haddad Maia showing her strength with an ace, eventually winning the first set 3-6. Undeterred, Paolini reacted and won the second set 6-4, despite a series of double faults. The third set was an exhausting battle, with both players showing exceptional first serve percentages, but it was Paolini’s determination that prevailed. In a tense 5-4 situation, she broke Haddad Maia’s serve, securing a thrilling 6-4 victory in the last set.
World number two Iga Swiatek booked her place in the second round by beating 55th-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-3 on Monday. This was Swiatek’s debut at the WTA 1000 Beijing, and her next opponent will be Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva.
Swiatek’s impressive performance included 17 winners during the 50 minutes of the first set, which helped her maintain her lead over the Spaniard. After a few early breaks, Swiatek took control of the match by breaking Sorribes Tormo’s serve to secure a 4-3 lead. In addition to his strong baseline play, Swiatek often ventured to the net, effectively disrupting Sorribes Tormo’s efforts to extend plays, winning an impressive 15 of the 17 net points in the first set.
With a solid lead in the second set, Swiatek continued to play aggressively, winning 12 of the first 14 points and establishing a 3-0 lead through a double break. Despite Sorribes’ three successful breaks at the end of the set, Swiatek didn’t allow her opponent to hold serve even once, breaking in all five of Sorribes’ Tormo service games.