Tribune News Network
Doha
World number one Iga Swiatek proved her credentails in great style as she upstaged Elena Rybakina to claim her third successive Qatar TotalEnergies Open title with a straight-set victory at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex on Saturday.
The memorable triumph also fetched Swiatek 1000 WTA points a prize of $523, 485 besides the glittering trophy.
Swiatek of Poland, who had lost all three of her matches against Rybakina in 2023, trailed by a double break in the first set but rallied to eventually beating the Kazakhstan player 7-6 (10-8) 6-2.
It is four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek’s first WTA title of the year and her 18th overall.
Swiatek also became the first player to win a WTA singles title three times in a row since Serena Williams claimed the Miami Open from 2013-15.
A delighted Swiatek, who has only lost one match and won 13 in Doha since her 2020 debut, said, "I came here and was pretty stressed because I felt the expectations. I wanted to do everything step by step like I always do. I’m really happy. I’m really proud of myself.”
She trailed Rybakina 4-1 in the first set but found her rhythm, forcing things back on serve and saving a set point before closing out the tie-break after 90 minutes.
Rybakina had to take a medical timeout after hitting her leg with her racquet while serving in the first set and she quickly went down a break in the second.
Swiatek then broke the Rybakina serve once more before serving out for victory.
Rybakina fell short in her bid for a third title of the year. The Kazakh had lifted the trophy last week in Abu Dhabi after winning in Brisbane at the start of January.
"I fought till the end,” she said. "Congratulations to Iga for a great week.”
Despite this loss, Rybakina exits Doha as the season leader in match-wins, with 15 so far. She has surpassed Jelena Ostapenko, who has won 14 matches in 2024. Rybakina and Ostapenko are the only players to have won multiple singles titles so far this year, with two apiece.
In a grueling first set with gusty conditions, Rybakina broke Swiatek twice to lead 4-1, but the No.3 seed had to stop in the middle of that game for a medical time-out after she accidentally cut her leg with her racquet at the end of her service motion.
After that, Swiatek pulled back to level footing at 4-4, but Rybakina regrouped by breaking the top seed for 6-5, grabbing a chance to serve out the set. However, outstanding overheads by Swiatek helped her break Rybakina once more, sending the set into a tiebreak.
In the decisive breaker, heavy hitting by both led to an 8-8 deadlock, after three set points for Swiatek and one for Rybakina went begging. However, a rally backhand winner by Swiatek gave the World No.1 her fourth set point at 9-8, and that one was converted with a passing winner off the backhand side.
Swiatek had to save two break points in her first service game of the second set, but after getting out of that jam, she eased to victory. Swiatek finished the match with six more winners and four fewer unforced errors than Rybakina, and the top seed converted half of her ten break points.
Schuurs and Stefani
win doubles
Earlier on Saturday, No.5 seeds Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands and Luisa Stefani of Brazil claimed the Qatar TotalEnergies Open doubles title with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over unseeded Americans Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk.
In only their second event as a partnership, Schuurs and Stefani captured the WTA 1000 title in a 77-minute final, and improved their team record to 8-1 this year.