Huge upset as Swiatek is swept by Paolini, missing out on the semifinals; netizens criticize Swiatek as if she were a player ranked around 200.

In the Wuhan Open women’s singles quarterfinal spotlight, Italian 7th seed Paolini defeated Poland’s 2nd seed Swiatek 6-1, 6-2 in just 1 hour and 25 minutes, breaking a six-match losing streak and securing her first career win over the world number two.

This triumph not only improved Paolini’s best performance at Wuhan but also became her fifth career appearance in a WTA1000 semifinal.

Before the match, hardly anyone expected such a result. Swiatek, ranked second in the world and a Grand Slam champion, was widely regarded as a favorite to win the Wuhan Open. Moreover, in their previous six encounters, Swiatek had won every time, including four straight-set victories.

At the pre-match press conference, Swiatek confidently stated, “I am very familiar with Paolini’s style and know how to handle her spin.”

Odds heavily favored Swiatek, with a well-known bookmaker offering as low as 1.16 for her win, while Paolini’s odds were as high as 5.50.

Tennis legend Evert commented in her pre-match analysis: “Swiatek’s consistency on hard courts has reached a new level; Paolini will need to perform at 120% to pose any threat.”

However, the match took an unexpected turn from the very beginning. Paolini showed remarkable steadiness in the first set, delivering precise and powerful baseline shots.

In the second game of the first set, Paolini broke early to lead 2-0. Swiatek tried to break back immediately in the third game, but Paolini held her serve under pressure. At 1-4, Swiatek struggled again on her serve, and Paolini won three consecutive points to break again, extending her lead to 5-1.

“My goodness, is this really Swiatek? Are you sure she’s not an amateur?” a viewer exclaimed in the live chat.

In the end, the first set lasted only 35 minutes, with Paolini easily taking it 6-1.

The second set did not improve for Swiatek. She was broken in her first service game again, allowing Paolini to establish a 2-0 lead. Swiatek finally held serve in the fourth game, but that was her last meaningful contribution on the scoreboard.

“Swiatek is completely off today, making an absurd number of errors,” comments kept flooding the live stream.

Ultimately, Paolini secured the second set 6-2, making the entire match look like a one-sided exhibition.

The stats clearly showed the disparity. Swiatek scored only 25 points throughout the match, less than half of Paolini’s 54. Most striking was the unforced error count: Swiatek committed 20, while Paolini only 3. Additionally, Swiatek’s first serve win rate was a low 45%, with just 33% on her second serve. In contrast, Paolini won 68% of points on her first serve and 56% on her second.

Swiatek failed to create a single break point all match, whereas Paolini generated seven break opportunities and converted four of them.

This victory was a breakthrough for Paolini. Not only did she end a six-match losing streak against Swiatek, but she also defeated a top-two player for the first time in her career. It was her fifth appearance in a WTA1000 semifinal and her best result at the Wuhan Open.

With this win, Paolini earned 190 ranking points, which could elevate her above Andrejeva to seventh place in the champion rankings, boosting her chances of qualifying for the year-end finals.

“I always believed I could beat top players, and today I finally proved it,” Paolini said in the post-match press conference, visibly emotional. “I can hardly put into words how I feel. Iga is such an outstanding champion, and beating her means a lot to me. I played very relaxed today, without putting too much pressure on myself. I just focused on every point, trying to keep the ball in and waiting for her mistakes.”

Regarding her tactics, she added: “I knew I had to reduce my errors and increase shot depth. I’m glad I managed to do that.”

Looking ahead to the semifinals, Paolini expressed strong confidence: “No matter who I face, I will stick to my game plan. I believe I can go even further.”

On social media, fans buzzed about the upset. “Swiatek played like a player ranked 200 today, showing none of the world number two’s qualities,” one user bluntly wrote on a tennis forum. Another commented, “Paolini’s performance was flawless; her consistency reminded me of Zheng Jie at her peak.”

Concerns were raised about Swiatek’s condition: “Is Swiatek injured? Her movement and shots looked heavy, nothing like her usual self.”

Meanwhile, many fans eagerly anticipated the semifinal between Paolini and Gauff: “If Paolini keeps this form, she can definitely beat Gauff and even contend for the title.”

In the semifinals, Paolini will face American 3rd seed Gauff, who swept Germany’s Sigmund 6-3, 6-0 in another quarterfinal.

Paolini currently holds a 3-0 winning record against Gauff, which should give her a psychological edge. However, Gauff has also been in great form at Wuhan, defeating Sigmund in just 1 hour and 14 minutes with 20 winners.

“Gauff has a stronger serve and better net skills, but Paolini’s baseline consistency is superior,” a tennis analyst commented on social media.

Regardless, this loss is a wake-up call for Swiatek’s Asian season. How she adjusts her form for upcoming matches will be a key issue for her team to address. (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)