Amanda Anisimova saved her best against Iga Swiatek for last.
In a winner-take-all match on Wednesday at the WTA Finals in Riyadh that would assure the victor a spot in the semifinals, the American rallied from a one-set deficit to claim a 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2 win against Swiatek, putting her through to the knockout rounds in her year-end debut.
In two hours and 36 minutes, Anisimova secured herself a second-place finish in the Serena Williams Group behind Elena Rybakina, who finished round-robin play with a 3-0 record after defeating alternate Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-4 following Madison Keys' withdrawal due to illness.
After winning the 2023 year-end title, Swiatek has now been eliminated in the round-robin stage in back-to-back years.