Polish tennis sensation, Iga Swiatek, experienced an unforeseen loss in the semi-finals of the Dubai championships, marking her first straight-sets defeat in nearly a year. The current world No.1 was defeated by qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, who executed an impressive comeback to secure a 4-6 4-6 victory. This surprising turn of events comes after Swiatek had initially led the Russian player 4-2 in the first set.
Swiatek, who had not suffered a straight-sets defeat since the Indian Wells semi-final last year, acknowledged her opponent’s exceptional performance but also conveyed disappointment in her own performance. The Polish player admitted to feeling out of control, attributing 18 unforced errors in the match as a contributing factor to her defeat.
The 22-year-old athlete reflected on her recent triumph at the Qatar Open and indicated that the back-to-back tournaments may have impacted her performance in the Dubai semi-finals. Swiatek confessed to feeling drained and acknowledged that she lacked the usual power and focus required to elevate her game during the match.
Looking forward, Swiatek intends to redirect her focus towards the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments. Meanwhile, Kalinskaya made history as the first qualifier to advance to the final in Dubai, where she will compete against Jasmine Paolini in an unseeded final.
The unexpected defeat of Iga Swiatek has captivated the attention of tennis enthusiasts, particularly considering her initial lead in the match. Conversely, Anna Kalinskaya’s remarkable performance persists, following her impressive Grand Slam result in Melbourne.
As the tennis world eagerly anticipates the final match in Dubai, it is evident that both Swiatek and Kalinskaya have exceeded expectations and hold the potential to deliver an enthralling and unexpected outcome.
For those interested in further tennis coverage, kindly peruse the latest updates on the ATP Dubai Tennis Championships and stay tuned for the finals.