Iga Swiatek admitted she was “really p***ed” and “angry” before coming back from the brink to defeat Donna Vekic in a dramatic China Open match.
The six-time major champion earned a 4-6, 7-6(0), 6-2 victory over world No 40 Vekic in the third round at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing on Monday.
Swiatek was in serious trouble when she trailed 2-5 in the second set, but she won the next four games — twice breaking Vekic when the Croatian served for the match.
The world No 9 then dominated the tiebreak before breaking Vekic three times en route to winning the deciding set.
In her on-court interview, Swiatek said: “I was just really p***ed. I thought I’m not playing bad, but, for sure, it wasn’t enough.
“Did some mistakes. And yeah, I was just angry. I wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn’t working.
“The beginning of second set, for sure, was tough. But later on, I figured it out, so I’m really happy about that.”
More WTA Tour News
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.
In her post-match press conference, Swiatek was asked about her frustration
“Well, I think at some point, I don’t know how many points we both had, but I felt like I’m playing good,” said the Pole.
“I felt like we might be even, but maybe she was winning the more important points. I knew I had my opportunities; I should push a little bit more.
“I don’t think she is a different player than couple years ago. I think she plays the same game style. If she feels the ball good, she’s a really dangerous player.
“I just needed to go level up because she played really good, used these chances that I didn’t use in the first set.”
The former world No 1 added: “I was in a bad position score-wise, didn’t really know after the first set what to change to play better.
“Later on in the second set, I was playing more brave and more aggressive, changing more down the line. At the end, I think it’s what changed the rhythm of the match.”
Swiatek will face world No 13 Iva Jovic in the fourth round at the China Open.
The 25-year-old is aiming to secure her second title in Beijing, having triumphed on her debut in the Chinese capital in 2023.
READ NEXT: Wuhan Open withdrawals: Elena Rybakina and Emma Navarro out as former No 1 makes it 7 exits
