Iga Swiatek marked her return to action with an impressive fightback to beat Barbora Krejcikova 4-6 7-5 6-2 at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Swiatek, playing for the first time since losing in the US Open quarter-finals to Jessica Pegula in early September, recovered from a set and a double-break down to win in two hours and 32 minutes.
The 23-year-old has relinquished her number one world ranking to Aryna Sabalenka and was also playing her first match under new coach Wim Fissette after splitting with Tomasz Wiktorowski earlier this month.
Czech Republic's Krejcikova, reigning Wimbledon champion and current world number 13, succumbed to the pressure in the second set and was overrun in the decider.
Swiatek lost her opening service game and was made to pay as she rarely troubled Krejcikova’s serve in the first set, which she lost in 55 minutes.
Krejcikova broke again in the opening game of the second set and Swiatek lost serve for the third time in the match to trail 3-0 before launching her fightback.
The Pole took the next four games, winning against Krejcikova’s serve twice, and at 6-5 up she broke the Czech for a third time to take the set 7-5 in just over an hour and level the match.
Swiatek quickly forged into a 5-0 lead in the decider and, although Krejcikova took the next two games, the former world number one launched the defence of her WTA Finals crown with victory.
