Iga Swiatek notched yet another superlative win for herself in the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday. The top seed defeated 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-0 in little over an hour and 15 minutes.
Swiatek won 74% of her first-serve points and 66% of her second-serve points. She also won 87% points on return on Samsonova’s second serve. The Pole didn’t face any break points and saved five of the 10 break points she had on Samsonova’s serve.
Swiatek won 61 points for the match to 35 won by her opponent. Making it to the quarter-finals was the best result Swiatek had had in the tournament. She was to play former world no. 1 Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals. The Czech won her third-round clash against Anhelina Kalinina 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-2 in two hours and 45 minutes.
Later, Pliskova announced her withdrawal from the tournament due to ill-health. In a statement, she said, “I’m very sorry, but I have to withdraw from the (Dubai Open). After playing the finals here a few years ago and doing very well this year, it’s very disappointing for me.
But after struggling with a virus and cramps for couple hours right after my match, I’m not able to continue”. Pliskova pulling out of the event saw Swiatek make it to her first semi-final in the event where she will play an American in either Madison Keys or Coco Gauff.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships: Aryna Sabalenka still undefeated
Earlier on Wednesday, Gauff received a walkover into the quarter-finals after her third-round rival, Elena Rybakina withdrew from the event with an injury to her lower back.
Keys, meanwhile, avenged her Australian Open third round defeat to Victoria Azarenka in their round-of-16 meeting. She needed just 57 minutes to beat the 15th seed, 6-2, 6-1. Another American, third seed Jessica Pegula joined her compatriots in the quarter-finals.
Pegula won against Ana Bogdan, 6-4, 6-3. Pegula will play Karolina Muchova next. The Czech ousted eighth seed Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-4 in their third-round outing. Second seed Aryna Sabalenka didn’t let up in her dominance as she resumed her season after her Australian Open success.
Sabalenka, however, had to come from a set down to defeat defending winner, 13th seed Jelena Ostapenko, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. Sabalenka had 25 winners and had 17 unforced errors in the match. She faced four break points across the match, three in the first set and one in the deciding set.
Sabalenka couldn’t save any in the first set but saved the last one. Looking to win her 14th match of the year at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Aryna Sabalenka will now play Barbora Krejcikova. Krejcikova won the Czech derby against Petra Kvitova, 6-3, 6-2. Photo Credit: WTA Twitter
