Swiatek Notches 40th Win; Svitolina Advances in Tough Match

Swiatek achieved a convincing 6-2, 6-1 win over compatriot Magdalena Frech in just 1 hour and 43 minutes. This victory marks her 40th of the season on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, and the 149th in WTA 1000 events, surpassing Serena Williams (148) for seventh on the all-time list since the format's inception in 2009.

After the match, Swiatek expressed her happiness with starting on center court, stating, "At the beginning of the match, it was point by point, but then I was happy that I started making less mistakes and I used my chances till the end of the match. For sure it was tougher than the score."

With this win, Swiatek improved her record to 19-2 against players ranked outside the top 50 this season, with her only losses to No. 52 Maria Sakkari in Doha and No. 121 Zheng Qinwen at the US Open. Swiatek noted this season has been particularly challenging for her, emphasizing the importance of maintaining consistency despite difficulties.

"I think the biggest lesson will be that nothing will come easy," she said. "This year it's been a bit tougher. I think I will learn to have more grit and to find also little successes." Swiatek is set to face either Ashlyn Krueger or Lanlana Tararudee in the next round.

Svitolina, on the other hand, faced a tougher match against Liudmila Samsonova. After winning the first set 6-2 and taking a break in the second, she encountered a resilient Samsonova, who leveled the second set at 5-5 after saving two match points before winning it 7-5. Svitolina regrouped to take the third set 6-2, securing her second win against Samsonova.

Following her victory, Svitolina commented, "It was a good match for me. I had to really step up my game in the third. I’m very happy with the way I could stay mentally tough and continue fighting."

Both players are aiming for strong performances in Wuhan as they chase qualification for the WTA Finals, with Svitolina currently ranked sixth and Swiatek at tenth in the standings.