Iga Swiatek returned to winning ways in Wuhan and quickly called for a change to the tournament schedule.
After her loss to Emma Navarro in Beijing, Swiatek didn’t waste any time getting back on court at the Wuhan Open.
The world number one put together a confident performance against Marie Bouzkova, cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 victory in her first match of the tournament.
Next up for Swiatek is either Belinda Bencic or Elise Mertens, with their match scheduled for Thursday, October 9.
Speaking after her win over Bouzkova, Swiatek spoke about what she feels needs addressing regarding the Wuhan Open schedule.
Swiatek urges Wuhan Open organisers to be careful with their match timings due to extreme heat
After the match, Swiatek spoke about the impact of the rising temperatures in Wuhan. “Honestly, I think it’s getting hotter in different places over the years,” she said.
“I already experienced that in Cincinnati this year. I’m just trying to use my experience, recover well between the points, and spend all my energy on having the best quality possible, but for sure, it’s a challenge.
“I’m happy I didn’t play yesterday because I think it was too much for most of the players.
“I hope our matches will be scheduled… on Centre Court it’s a little bit cooler because of the air conditioning and everything, but I hope the other matches will be scheduled at a time where girls can really compete rather than just die on the court.”
The recent weeks have been particularly tough for players dealing with China’s heat. Following several withdrawals from Shanghai due to conditions there, two players have also retired mid-match in Wuhan so far.
Swiatek is hoping matches can be avoided during peak heat hours to help protect player health. Despite raising concerns about scheduling and safety, she made it clear that she’s enjoying her first visit to Wuhan.
“It’s nice to play in a city I’ve never been to,” she said. “It’s something new and I really appreciate that because with the repetition of the tour, I’m really happy to be here in Wuhan and get to know the city.”
The world number one also had kind words for fans after her win over Bouzkova.
“Thank you guys for coming, I already saw in Beijing how amazing Chinese fans are,” Swiatek said after beating Bouzkova 6-1 6-1.
Iga Swiatek’s Wuhan debut leaves strong impression on Jill Craybas
Swiatek’s second-round performance drew praise from former American tennis player Jill Craybas, who was on commentary duty for Sky Sports.
“Really just a clinical performance from [Iga] Swiatek, she’s definitely got to be pleased with that, making her debut here in Wuhan,” Craybas said.
“Playing a player with incredible ability to frustrate her opponents with her consistency, her movement. Swiatek just took her game away from her, didn’t allow her to get into those long rallies.”
Craybas also noted how Swiatek played on the front foot throughout the match.
“I said from the start she was just so on top of the baseline, rushing Bouzkova from the beginning, didn’t back down, kept that up the entire match and it was tough for Bouzkova to get her foot in the door in that match.”
Bouzkova walked off smiling and waving to fans despite a tough loss. Craybas praised Bouzkova’s positive mindset after a difficult defeat.
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“I think she will understand that Swiatek was just on today, she was feeling it. She was moving her around the court the entire time,” she said.
“Bouzkova always has that good attitude; she’s one of the best I feel at being able to assess and let it go quickly.”
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