Global News

[ad_1] CANCúN, MEXICO: Poland's Iga Swiatek thrashed Jessica Pegula to win the WTA Finals on Monday, sealing her return to world number one. Second seed Swiatek dominated Pegula from start to finish to clinch a 6-1, 6-0 victory in a 59-minute masterclass. The 17th win of Swiatek's career ensures that the four-time major singles champion from Warsaw will finish the season as world number one for a second straight year. "The team that's been with me the whole season, we had many ups and downs," a jubilant Swiatek said after her win. "This is for sure an up. We will for sure have many more if we keep working like that," added Swiatek, who lost just 20 games across the tournament -- a new record. Pegula had few complaints about her defeat after an error-strewn display. "It just was one of those days where I felt like I was going for too much," Pegula said. "And she was just playing super solid." Swiatek, 22, had beaten ou

[ad_1] LONDON: American world number four Jessica Pegula said doing business with Saudi Arabia can help the WTA in its quest to ensure equal prize money but it will carefully evaluate following other sports to the Gulf state. Saudi Arabia has pumped huge amounts of money into soccer, Formula One and boxing in recent years while the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit recently ended its two-year dispute with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour by announcing a merger. WTA chairman Steve Simon said on Friday there were still "big issues" with Saudi Arabia as potential hosts for WTA events and the governing body of women's tennis had not yet made any decisions or entered into negotiations with the country. "I'm sure we'll talk and go about it," WTA player council member Pegula told reporters ahead of Wimbledon. Men and women get equal prize money at the four Grand Slams. WTA Tour events, however, have often offered less prize money than those on the separ