Qatar TotalEnergies Open: Iga Swiatek’s comeback sees her swiftly advance to SF

Iga Swiatek made a strong start at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open on Wednesday. The world no. 1 won her opening-round match against Danielle Collins 6-0, 6-1 in only 53 minutes. The Pole whoā€™s the top seed this week in Doha is playing for the first time this season since bowing out of the Australian Open in the fourth round.

Swiatek won 74% of her first-serve points and 69% points on return on the Americanā€™s first serve. The 21-year-old also won 80% points on return on the latterā€™s second serve while winning 69% of her second-serve points. She didnā€™t face a single break point but went on to convert five of seven break points on Collinsā€™ serve. Both players finished the match with eight winners each. But Swiatek had only six unforced errors to her opponentā€™s 22. In fact, all eight of Collinsā€™ winners came in the second set.

Qatar TotalEnergies Open: A sad ending for Belinda Bencic

Meanwhile, after her advancing to the quarter-finals, Swiatek received a walkover into the semi-finals as her quarter-final opponent, Belinda Bencic decided to quit the event on account of fatigue. Earlier, the seventh seed notched a comeback win for herself against twice former champion in Doha, Victoria Azarenka.

Bencic needed two hours and 42 minutes to claim a 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 win. This was the seventh match sheā€™d won consecutively going back to her title run in Abu Dhabi.

Fourth seed Coco Gauff ended Petra Kvitovaā€™s journey in Doha in the second round. The American won 6-3, 7-6(6) in an hour and 24 minutes against the 2021 winner. Gauff will play eighth seed Veronika Kudermetova next. Kudermetova came through against Gauffā€™s compatriot, Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 49 minutes in their round-of-16 match-up.

The winner between Gauff and Kudermetova will play Swiatek in the semi-final.

The lone upset of the day came at the hands of Beatriz Haddad Maia in the WTA 500 event. The Brazilian saved a handful of set points in the second set to send sixth seed Daria Kasatkina packing, 6-3, 7-6(7) after an hour and 40 minutes of play.

Haddad Maia will take on second seed Jessica Pegula for a chance to reach the semi-finals. The American needed three sets and an hour and 52 minutes to vanquish Jelena Ostapenko, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

The last quarter-final at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open will be contested between fifth seed Maria Sakkari and sixth seed Caroline Garcia. The Greek defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2 in their second-round meeting. The Frenchwoman came from down a set against Karoline Muchova, 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-4 after three hours of play.

Photo Credit: Iga Swiatek Twitter