Iga Swiatek lost to Maja Chwalinska 7-5, 6-1 in the Wuhan Open semifinal on Saturday after suffering a left-thigh injury. Chwalinska said, "Obviously Iga wasn't 100 percent today, so I wish her all the best." Swiatek struggled with movement throughout the match, ending her hopes of reaching the WTA Finals.
Before the 12th game, Iga Swiatek called for the trainer and was visibly emotional as her left thigh was treated.
Iga Swiatek's bid to reach the Wuhan Open final ended in pain and frustration on Saturday, with a left-thigh problem badly restricting her during a 7-5, 6-1 loss to fellow Pole and childhood friend Maja Chwalinska.
The six-time major champion required a medical timeout when she trailed 6-5 in the opening set. Although she returned with her left thigh strapped, Swiatek appeared unable to push off properly or cover the court effectively while trying to retrieve Chwalinska's shots.
Chwalinska is set to face Sonay Kartal for the title after Kartal defeated Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(9), 7-6(5) in the earlier semifinal.
Swiatek arrived in Wuhan needing the trophy to keep alive her faint hopes of making the season-ending WTA Finals.
But her movement was visibly compromised against the left-handed Chwalinska, whose variety and angles made the seventh seed's lack of mobility even more costly.
For Chwalinska, the win marked another landmark in a remarkable season. The 25-year-old, playing in only her fourth WTA 1000 main draw, had already produced an unexpected run to the French Open final as a qualifier in June.
"Obviously Iga wasn't 100 percent today, so I wish her all the best, of course,it's always tough to play against a fellow Polish player. She's a great champion, a living legend, she won everything. So it was a great honour for me to share the court with her today," said Chwalinska.
The first set was tightly contested, with both players trading momentum before Swiatek moved ahead 5-3 and prepared to serve for the set. She held two set points but could not convert either, and Chwalinska responded by winning the next three games to lead 6-5.
Before the 12th game, Swiatek called for the trainer and was visibly emotional as her left thigh was treated. She resumed in tears and with the injury clearly affecting her.
The second set began strangely, with Swiatek engaged in a heated exchange from the court with her strength and conditioning coach, Maciej Ryszczuk, while facing two break points.
She received a time-violation warning during the episode and then conceded a fifth game in a row. From there, Chwalinska controlled the contest, closing out the match in two hours and eight minutes to reach her first Wuhan Open final.