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Iga Swiatek was as sweet as ever even while denying a request from a fan who wanted her racquet as a souvenir. The World No. 1 won her San Diego Open semifinal against home hope Jessica Pegula on Saturday to move into her ninth WTA final of the season.
Fans asking for a player's racquet to take home as a memento is often seen in tennis, and many times the players oblige. Swiatek has also done so in the past, but this time the Polish superstar realized she would need her racquet in Sunday's final and so she declined the fan's request with a smile.
"Sorry, I need them," Iga Swiatek said to the fan seated courtside, after her match against Pegula.
But Swiatek, one of the most beloved players on tour, ensured that the fan did not go home empty-handed, as she gifted them her wristband.
The US has been a happy venue for Swiatek as she has now won 23 of the 24 matches she has played in the country this season - including her third Major title at the US Open. The 21-year-old will aim to clinch her eighth title of the season on Sunday.
Swiatek will also become the player with the most match wins in a single calendar year since 2016 - with 64 - if she wins the San Diego Open final against either Donna Vekic or Danielle Collins.
In the semifinal against Pegula, the top seed braved challenging conditions and a tough fight from the American No. 1 to prevail 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Swiatek has now reached the final in all of her last three tournaments on tour. She won the US Open final, but lost a thriller to Barbora Krejcikova in Ostrava last week.
"Doing crossword puzzles" - Iga Swiatek on how she stays focused before a match
Iga Swiatek revealed after the semifinal that she likes to maintain her focus before matches by doing crossword puzzles. The Pole admitted that she has hardly faced any rain delays in her career as she did on Saturday, but ensured she did not lose focus by following her pre-match routine.
"Honestly, I didn't have a lot of breaks like that...So, I didn't know what to do," Iga Swiatek said during her on-court interview after the semifinal. "Usually, before the match I'm doing crosswords, so I did the same right now. It's a nice way to keep your focus and be on social media, but also, on the other hand, just relaxing."
Swiatek lost the opening set before the hour-long rail delay disturbed proceedings. She came out swinging after the break and rushed to a 3-0 lead in the second set, and then carried her momentum into the third set as well.
