The final of the 2023 China Open will take place on Sunday morning in Beijing with Iga Swiatek set to face off against Liudmila Samsonova in the last WTA 1000 of the season.
Swiatek is going for the first WTA 1000 title of the year in her final tournament, while for Samsonova, it would be a career best title.
Swiatek in reaching her third WTA 1000 final of the season has had an easy and hard run throughout the tournament. She eased past Sara Sorribes Tormo and Varvara Gracheva, as well as Magda Linette.
But it has often been stringing those wins together consistent without lapses in the opening set this season for Swiatek. She had one of those against Caroline Garcia, but with a winning mentality edged through against an in-form player. That put her in good stead to take down Coco Gauff.
Gauff was in the midst of a 16 match winning run and had snapped her previously poor Head to Head record against Swiatek which was a catalyst for her greatest ever summer. But it was back to Swiatek dominance to set up the tie with Samsonova.
It would be a first WTA 1000 title for Liudmila Samsonova, but one that would be a long time coming for the Russian who has often been part of a group of players who have been a spoiler this season.
Samsonova as an unseeded player has had a tougher route than most all being established stars. Alycia Parks to start, followed by Petra Kvitova. Both straight sets wins. Her only struggle of sorts came against Marta Kostyuk.
Jelena Ostapenko was eased through before she improved her Head to Head record over Elena Rybakina who she could ironically play in the second round in Zhengzhou next week.
In terms of Head to Head, Swiatek leads emphatically 2-0. Swiatek has only lost one set in those two ties and has won five WTA 1000 titles. Also she has a record of 15-4 in finals, compared to 4-2 for Samsonova.
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Iga Swiatek will take on Liudmila Samsonova in the Final of Beijing
Iga going for her first 1000 title of the year, while Samsonova going for her 1st 1000 title of her career.