Iga Swiatek made a ruthless start to her WTA Finals campaign, handing Madison Keys a 6-1, 6-2 defeat on day one of the season-ending championships on Saturday.
Iga Swiatek clinches her first win of the 2025 WTA Finals ✅ #WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/B9szavd2yP
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 1, 2025
The Polish second seed claimed a tour-leading 62nd victory of the year and improved to 7-2 head-to-head against Keys.
Swiatek is seeking a second WTA Finals crown in Riyadh, having lifted the trophy in Cancun two years ago.
Keys qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2016 and is one of four Americans in the eight-player singles field in Riyadh this week.
Iga Swiatek discusses her victory over Madison Keys in the opening match of the WTA Finals 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ydzzvl7Ryx
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) November 1, 2025
"It feels great to be back in Riyadh especially that we’ve been switching places the last few years," said Swiatek, who is competing in the Finals for a fifth consecutive season.
"Honestly, I’m happy about everything; all the things that I practised, I got it together today, playing with the right balance between playing solid and aggressive.
"I put in the work in Warsaw before the tournament. That gives me for sure confidence to go forward and develop as a player."
Later at King Saud University Indoor Arena, Elena Rybakina was also in a hurry as she dished out a 6-3, 6-1 defeat to fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova in just 57 minutes.
Iga Swiatek wins a fantastic point against Keys at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 1, 2025
The way she’s able to wrestle back control against such big hitting is incredible to watch.
So good, so Iga. 🇵🇱😮💨
pic.twitter.com/YU7We4M7AR
Rybakina was the last to qualify for the WTA Finals, and punched her ticket to Riyadh thanks to a title run in Ningbo and a march to the Tokyo semifinals in the last two weeks.
She put on a serving masterclass against Anisimova, firing seven aces and dropping just four points behind her first delivery.
“Amanda is a great player and a tough opponent so I knew I needed to serve well. I’m very happy with the way I played overall and I hope I can keep serving like this,” said the Kazakhstani world No 6.
Swiatek played a near-flawless match to kick off proceedings on Saturday, sealing the win in 61 minutes.
Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, hadn’t played a match in over two months – since her first-round loss at the US Open – and was understandably rusty at the start, getting broken at love in the opening game of the contest.
LETSS GOOOO🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Iga Swiatek Updates (@IgaUpdates_) November 1, 2025
Iga defeated Madison Keys 6-1 6-2💋
She was solid and consistent🫶
JAZDAAAA👑 pic.twitter.com/99HbHqbIPu
Swiatek won 20 of the first 23 points to build a 5-0 advantage, painting the lines with some inch-perfect groundstrokes off both wings.
Keys finally got on the board with a much-needed hold in game six but that didn’t stop her opponent from wrapping up the first set in 23 minutes.
The duo exchanged breaks at the start of the second frame but it was Swiatek who once again grabbed the momentum, forging ahead 5-2.
Keys saved two match points on the Swiatek serve as the Pole showed signs of shakiness, but it was only a brief lapse, as Swiatek swatted away a pair of break points en route to a dominant victory.
Swiatek has shot to the top of the Serena Williams Group, with Rybakina occupying the runner-up spot ahead of Anisimova and Keys.
Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Coco Gauff headline the Stefanie Graf Group and will commence their Riyadh campaigns on Sunday against Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula, respectively.