A “helpless” Iga Swiatek was left in tears after Jessica Pegula stunned the World No.1 on Friday with Greece’s sixth-ranked Maria Sakkari also crashing to defeat in the semi-finals of the inaugural United Cup. Less than two weeks before the Australian Open, Poland’s Swiatek had no answers to the American’s powerful serve and searing returns, crashing 6-2, 6-2 in a deflating 71-minute defeat in Sydney. 

A perfect match

“She played I think a perfect match, and it was pretty hard for me to find any spot where I could come back, because she really didn’t let me do that,” said Swiatek. “I just knew that I felt kind of helpless today, because physically and mentally I wasn’t able to kind of show up even, and problem-solve,” she added of why the tears came.