Iga Swiatek beat Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6(7-0), 6-2 in the third round of the China Open in Beijing on October 5, 2026, after trailing by a set and 5-2 in the second. The eighth-seeded Pole won the tiebreak 7-0 and dropped just two games in the decider to reach the round of 16.
Iga Swiatek defeated Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6(7-0), 6-2 in the third round of the China Open in Beijing on October 5, 2026, according to the WTA. The match lasted two hours and 40 minutes.
Two Breaks Down, Then a Perfect Tiebreak
Vekic took the first set 6-4 and then broke Swiatek's serve twice to lead 5-2 in the second, putting the eighth-seeded Pole on the brink of elimination. Swiatek broke back twice to level the set at 5-5, and both players held to force a tiebreak, which Swiatek won 7-0, according to the WTA.
In the decider, the players traded early breaks before Swiatek pulled away to close out the match 6-2, the WTA reported.
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.
— Iga Swiatek, to the WTA
Speaking to broadcasters after the match, Swiatek described her mindset while trailing, saying she felt frustrated with her level and had made mistakes before finding a solution, according to Yahoo Sports, which cited her on-court comments.
A WTA 1000 Milestone
The win was Swiatek's 147th tour-level match victory at WTA 1000 events, placing her third on the all-time list behind Serena Williams (148) and Aryna Sabalenka (156), per WTA figures. It was also her fifth straight win over Vekic without a loss, extending a head-to-head record that stood at 4-0 before the match, the WTA said in an earlier report on Swiatek's second-round win.
Background: Seeding and a Shaken-Up Draw
Swiatek entered the China Open seeded eighth, ranked ninth in the world, and was the tournament's 2023 champion, according to the WTA. The 2025 defending champion, Amanda Anisimova, withdrew before the event because of a wrist injury, according to Wikipedia's tournament page. The same page notes that world No. 1 Elena Rybakina lost in the second round to Alina Charaeva, a result that marked only the second time since the introduction of WTA rankings that a reigning world No. 1 lost their first match at that ranking.
What Comes Next
Swiatek's round-of-16 opponent is 10th seed Iva Jovic, the WTA said in its report on the Vekic match.
Final score: 4-6, 7-6(7-0), 6-2
Match length: 2 hours, 40 minutes
Swiatek trailed 6-4, 5-2 before the comeback
Tiebreak won 7-0
147th WTA 1000 match win for Swiatek, third all-time
Next opponent: 10th seed Iva Jovic
Questions
What was the final score between Iga Swiatek and Donna Vekic?
Swiatek won 4-6, 7-6(7-0), 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on October 5, 2026, according to the WTA.
How far down was Swiatek before her comeback?
Vekic led by a set, 6-4, and had a double-break advantage at 5-2 in the second set before Swiatek leveled it and won the tiebreak 7-0, per the WTA.
What round of the China Open did this match decide?
The win sent Swiatek into the round of 16 (last 16) of the Beijing WTA 1000 event, according to the WTA's own report.
Who does Swiatek play next?
Her round-of-16 opponent is 10th seed Iva Jovic, per the WTA.
Had Swiatek beaten Vekic before?
Yes. The WTA reported Swiatek entered the match with a 4-0 record against Vekic, making this her fifth consecutive win over the Croatian player.
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