Iga Swiatek progressed to the Qatar Open semi-finals by defeating Elena Rybakina 6-2, 7-5. Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, extending her winning streak. Both Swiatek and Alexandrova are set to face tough opponents in the next round, with the tournament seeing the exit of notable seeds like Rybakina and Pegula.
Iga Swiatek, the three-time defending champion, reached the Qatar Open semi-finals by defeating last year’s runner-up, Elena Rybakina, in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. The victory saw Swiatek fend off a surge from the fifth-seeded Rybakina in the second set, securing her place as the only remaining seed in the tournament after Rybakina and Jessica Pegula’s exits.
Ekaterina Alexandrova demonstrated her strong form by overcoming sixth seed Jessica Pegula with a score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, extending her winning streak to eight matches. After eliminating the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, in the second round, Alexandrova showed resilience, particularly after struggling initially against Pegula.
In her post-match comments, Swiatek expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating, “I’m super happy and proud of myself, in the second set I felt she lifted her level.” Swiatek is now set to face Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who progressed with a decisive win over Ons Jabeur, winning 6-2, 6-2.
Swiatek’s match against Rybakina saw her dominate the first set with two service breaks. However, she faced challenges in the second set, getting broken early and missing multiple break opportunities before finally leveling the set at 4-4 and closing out the match following a pivotal break at 6-5.
Alexandrova, ranked 26th, maintained her winning momentum after a title in Linz earlier this month. Despite a rocky start against Pegula, she regained control and dominated the latter stages, underscoring her ambitious pursuit of a sixth career title.
Looking ahead, Alexandrova will compete against Amanda Anisimova for a spot in the final after Anisimova’s hard-fought victory over Marta Kostyuk. Alexandrova highlighted her focused approach: “I just play every single match and every single point and I don’t think about the future,” demonstrating her determination as she progresses through the tournament.
In summary, Iga Swiatek continues to showcase her skills at the Qatar Open by reaching the semi-finals after defeating Elena Rybakina. Ekaterina Alexandrova also advanced impressively, setting up future matches that promise to be competitive. Both players maintain elevated confidence levels, aiming for titles as they navigate through the latter rounds of the tournament.
Original Source: www.dawn.com
