World No.1 Iga Swiatek remains on course to make it back-to-back titles on the WTA Tour after storming into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final with an impressive victory over fifth seed Coco Gauff in front of a delighted Centre Court crowd on Friday evening.
Swiatek will need to be at her silky best for Saturday’s showdown after Barbora Krejcikova upset birthday girl Jessica Pegula 6-1 5-7 6-0 to book a second appearance in the Dubai final. Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champion, lost to Garbine Muguruza two years ago.
Swiatek is in impressive form and needed just 1 hour 28 minutes to see off American teenage sensation Gauff 6-4, 6-2. The three-time Grand Slam champion, who had a day off on Thursday after quarter-final opponent Karolina Pliskova withdrew with illness, took control of the match early breaking Gauff’s serve twice in the first set.
Having dropped just three games in her first two matches this week, the in-form Pole broke in the first game of the second set and raced into a 4-0 lead. Gauff held her next two service games, but Swiatek broke in the seventh and comfortably held serve to secure a place in her first Dubai final. Following her victory, she took time to scribble a message on the TV camera, before revealing who the message was aimed at.
“I took my time because I didn’t know whether to write in Polish or English. My dad is coming for the final. It’s not often he comes to matches so I just wanted to ask him and pressure him!” said the World No.1, who has now beaten Gauff in six consecutive matches without dropping a set. “Coco is a great player. I knew it was going to be tough and I just had to focus on myself and stick to my tactics. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
NO PARTY FOR PEGULA AS KREJCIKOVA CRACKS ON
There was no birthday luck on court for World No.3 Jessica Pegula, who became the latest big-name victim to fall at the hands of an in-control Krejcikova this week. The Czech star came into Friday’s clash in confident mood having already beaten two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the last 16 and current Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.
Looking comfortable on the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium Centre Court, Krejcikova raced to a 6-1 first-set win. Pegula dug deep in set two, breaking serve in game 12 to take the match to a decider. However, her opponent, a multiple Grand Slam doubles winner, wasn’t about to hand out any gifts on Pegula’s 29th birthday, storming the deciding set 6-0.
Having beaten the World No. 2 and No. 3 this week, she is in confident mood for Saturday’s final.
“It definitely gives me a lot of confidence. I think my game is improving with every match and I’m really happy with that,” said Krejcikova. “Tomorrow is going to be a new match, new day, different player, different day definitely. I just have to sleep well and try to prepare the best way because I’m going to be playing the best player in the world.”
“I have to say, it’s always a huge challenge. I love challenges. I expect it’s going to be really difficult because she’s in a great form and she’s playing well. I believe that I’m playing well, as well. I think that I can find a plan that can push her on the back leg. I believe that I have a chance,” added the World No. 30, who beat Swiatek in the Ostrava WTA final last year.
CHAN SIBLINGS SEIZE SEMI-FINAL CHANCE
Sisters Hao-ching and Latisha Chan continued their dream run in Dubai with a second-successive victory over top-ranked opponents to book their place in Saturday’s Doubles final. Having beaten No. 1 seeds Gauff and Jessica Pegula in an intense quarter-final clash, the Taiwanese sisters saw off third seeds Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs 6-1, 4-6, 10-4 in an all-action semi-final on Centre Court.
GRAB YOUR SEATS
Tickets for the 31st Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships are on sale at dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com,starting from Dh55. Tickets are also available at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium Box Office between 9am and 9pm daily. The Championships starts with the 23rd staging of the WTA event, which runs until February 25, before the 31st staging of the ATP Tour 500 tournament from February 26 to March 4.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
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