Swiatek thrashes Pegula to win WTA Finals

CANCUN - 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 outgoing world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals on Sunday. Sabalenka took over the number one ranking from Swiatek following the US Open in September.

Pegula defeated Swiatek in the two players' previous meeting in Montreal in August, and had impressed on her way to Monday's final, which had been shunted back 24 hours after wet weather washed out play on Saturday.