Swiatek on course for third title, Elena Rybakina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova reach semi-final

Doha: World number one Iga Swiatek moved closer to a third successive Qatar TotalEnergies Open title when she defeated 2012 and 2013 champion Victoria Azarenka in straight sets 6-4, 6-0 in 74 minutes in the quarter-finals yesterday to set up a semi-final clash with 2017 champion Karolína Plíšková, who knocked out Japan’s Naomi Osaka 7-6(8-6), 7-6(7-5) in the last match of the day.

Polish 22-year-old Swiatek is now 12-1 at the Gulf tournament, with her only defeat coming in the 2020 second round to Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Former World No.1 Azarenka double-faulted in the ninth game to hand Swiatek the first break.
The top seed served it out before racing through the second set without facing a break point.

Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will clash for a place in Saturday's final. Third seed and former Wimbledon champion Rybakina came from 4-2 down in the first set to defeat 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2.

Pavlyuchenkova secured her first 1000-level hardcourt semi-final in 14 years with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Danielle Collins of the United States.

"I hope it will be a good match, we know each other well, both on and off the court," said Rybakina, of her clash with Pavlyuchenkova.

Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 32 in the world, needed one hour and 34 minutes to see off Collins, a former world number seven who had to qualify this week.

The 32-year-old player only stutter came in the first set when she coughed up a 5-2 lead, but she regrouped to take it 7-5 and went on to claim victory on her first match point.

"I was injured for a long time, so I'm happy to be back and able to fight on all points, and victories give me confidence," said Pavlyuchenkova in the post-match court interview.

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