America’s Jessica Pegula was capable of chortle at herself after being ‘bageled’ in her defeat by Iga Swiatek within the WTA Finals decider.
After being thrashed 6-1, 6-0 by the Pole in Cancun, Mexico, the 29-year-old posted on Instagram that she had “Ended the 12 months by way of the Iga bakery manufacturing facility lol”.
Swiatek dominated Pegula to win the season-ending event on Monday and regain her world No 1ranking from Aryna Sabalenka.
The Pole broke Pegula, the world No 5, 5 occasions and gained the ultimate 11 video games in a 59-minute slaughter to seize her first WTA Finals title in a match delayed by a day resulting from rain.
“I wish to thank my staff who’ve been with me for the entire season,” Swiatek mentioned. “We’ve had many ups and downs.”
She additionally thanked the followers who endured numerous rain delays and gusting winds through the occasion on the coastal Mexican resort city.
The late resolution to stage the occasion in Cancun had introduced fierce criticism from gamers, with Sabalenka accusing the WTA of ‘disrespecting’ ladies gamers.
However Swiatek was blissful after her victory and eager to reward the supporters who braved the weather. “Thanks guys for coming and cheering for us, you actually made it particular,” she mentioned.
“Thanks for all these Polish flags and Polish people who find themselves coming to each event and people from many international locations. Yearly I really feel like I’ve an increasing number of assist.”
The 29-year-old Pegula, who struggled on her serve and didn’t match Swiatek’s vitality stage, was gracious in defeat.
“Congrats on ending the 12 months No 1 and profitable this event, it’s actually unbelievable” she mentioned.
“You proceed to push me to be a greater participant and I respect that side of it. I want I might have finished higher as we speak however that’s not the way it goes typically.”
Swiatek got here into the event purple sizzling having gained final month’s China Open and by no means dropped a set over the course of her 5 matches on the occasion, which brings collectively the highest eight gamers on the earth.
The Polish participant ends the season on an 11-match profitable streak and can end the 12 months within the prime spot for the second 12 months in a row, having misplaced the place to Sabalenka after the US Open.
Swiatek, 22, collected six out of her complete 17 profession titles this season. She retained the French Open crown in June to raise her fourth grand slam trophy.
Gamers had been vocal of their criticism of their sport’s governing physique over the slapdash nature of the occasion in Mexico.
Cancun was named the venue for the £7.31 million Finals lower than two months earlier than it began and building of the courts was solely accomplished the weekend earlier than it started on October 29.
In a letter to the gamers leaked to the media final week, WTA chief Steve Simon mentioned the late collection of Cancun to host the event was “based mostly on numerous sophisticated elements”.
Simon mentioned the WTA accepted accountability for the poor circumstances and signalled modifications to the operation of the tour after a collection of different complaints from prime gamers about how they’re handled.
