Maria Sakkari won her first match of the WTA Finals, beating Iga Świątek ©Getty Images

Maria Sakkari powered past Iga Świątek 6-2, 6-4 to make a winning start at the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in Guadalajara.

Sakkari was the first Greek player to qualify for the WTA Finals, and is now the first Greek player to win a match at the event.

Sakkari was in superb form when her serve was accurate, winning 26 of 27 points when it landed in.

Świątek by contrast had a better record on her second serve than first serve, and the Pole was broken three times en route to defeat.

The win is Sakkari's eighth against a top-10 player in 2021, which leads the WTA Tour, and follows straight-sets wins over Świątek at the French Open - where she was the defending champion - and Ostrava Open.

Maria Sakkari is the first-ever Greek player at the WTA Finals ©Getty Images
Maria Sakkari is the first-ever Greek player at the WTA Finals ©Getty Images

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus suffered a straight sets defeat in her first match of the tournament.

Spain's Paula Badosa recovered from a 4-2 deficit to win the opening set 6-4.

The seventh seed maintained the momentum in the second set, winning 10 consecutive games in the contest to secure a 6-4, 6-0 victory.

The result gave Badosa a seventh consecutive win as she looks to end the season on a high.

Badosa's win saw her move to the top of Group Chichén Itzá.

All four players in Group Chichén Itzá are making their WTA Finals debuts.